


Horizon

by nyamgi



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alpha Choi Jongho, Alpha Choi San, Alpha Kim Hongjoong, Alpha Song Mingi, Alpha/Alpha, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Bottom Park Seonghwa, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Boys' Love, Complicated Relationships, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Forbidden Love, Friends to Lovers, Gay, Gay Character, Gay Panic, Hate to Love, Love, Love Confessions, Love/Hate, M/M, Mates, Mild Smut, Minor Original Character(s), Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Jung Wooyoung, Omega Kang Yeosang, Omega Park Seonghwa, Omega Verse, Omega/Omega, Original Character(s), Rare Pairings, Relationship(s), Romantic Fluff, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates, Strangers to Lovers, Top Choi San, Top Song Mingi, True Love, True Mates, Unlikely Pairing, War, Werewolf Mates, Wolf Pack, Wolves, fated mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:08:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 41
Words: 108,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22377712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyamgi/pseuds/nyamgi
Summary: “You can’t tell me that what we’re both feeling right now isn’t real, Seonghwa. You would be lying to yourself,” San’s thumb gently rubs against the top of Seonghwa’s hand before making its way up his arm and eventually going to caress his soft cheek.My first omegaverse story! Let's see how this goes, everyone~
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Kim Hongjoong, Choi San/Park Seonghwa, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi, Jung Wooyoung/Kang Yeosang
Comments: 165
Kudos: 652





	1. Preface

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bluesunggod](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluesunggod/gifts), [gundhamronpa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gundhamronpa/gifts).



I decided to make a little pre-chapter before actually beginning the story for this one! I think it will help since this story includes all eight boys, along with their own packs, and many relationships. This is my first time doing a story including so many people, and it is also my first step into the omegaverse world. I hope that this helps even just a little bit if you'd like to read my story.

First, the **packs**. These are the names of the packs each boy belongs to. Hopefully having exposure to these pack names will help lessen the confusion. Also, if you would like further information on the packs, comment and I will edit this to put that in! I'm sure I will end up talking about it within the book, though.

**Hongjoong** : Nightshade

 **Seonghwa** : Chrysalis

 **Yunho** : Essence

 **Yeosang** : Riverside

 **San** : Eclipse

 **Mingi** : Bloodbane

 **Wooyoung** : Riverside

 **Jongho** : Nightshade

Second, **fur coats**. I think this might help when you're envisioning the boys in their wolf form as I've decided to write them.

**Hongjoong** : dark brown/auburn fur

 **Seonghwa** : pure white fur

 **Yunho** : medium brown fur

 **Yeosang** : light brown fur

 **San** :black w/ grey patch fur

 **Mingi** : dark grey fur

 **Wooyoung** : light grey fur

 **Jongho** : dark and light brown mix fur

Third, **scent**. I'm sure that this will be brought up throughout the story, so I thought I'd best put each of their scents here for pre-exposure.

 **Hongjoong** : Ginger

 **Seonghwa** : Lavender

 **Yunho** : Lemon

 **Yeosang** : Vanilla

 **San** : Rose

 **Mingi** : Rosemary

 **Wooyoung** : Jasmine

 **Jongho** : Cinnamon

I'm not sure if anyone would rather be surprised with their **A/B/O typing** I decided on, but I'm going to put that here as well... If you'd rather be surprised, please move ahead to the first chapter!

**Hongjoong** : Alpha

 **Seonghwa** : Omega

 **Yunho** : Omega

 **Yeosang** : Omega

 **San** : Alpha

 **Mingi** : Alpha

 **Wooyoung** : Omega

 **Jongho** : Alpha

As you can see, I didn't decide to make any of the boys a beta. I did this for two couplings that I'm excited to write since I haven't seen any before -- but I also haven't read too many omegaverse stories. Only a few! That being said, my "rules" for this universe will probably differ from other stories and I hope that is okay!

Thank you so much if you decide to continue with this story! I know it's different from what I've written before -- and it's also a big step for me character-wise.

Hopefully, I don't heck it up too badly xx I missed writing ATEEZ fics so much~


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse into pack Chrysalis and Eclipse... and we are introduced to our first members :)   
> Enjoy~

Seonghwa shifts his eyes to look outside as his family is talking about how they will have to make their yearly visit to all the packs around them to ensure peace is kept.

"Word has been getting around that Bloodbane and Essence haven't been getting along as of late... They insist that Essence possesses magical abilities that they've kept hidden from all of the other packs for years. They're getting more and more aggressive about that fact, and we've received information that they are plotting an attack that will lead to war," Seonghwa's mother, Park Hyejin, says.

Seonghwa's mother has always been very assertive for an omega and this has rubbed off on Seonghwa as he's grown up. Seonghwa always admired his mother for her ability to speak confidently in front of the alphas of the pack, and their family. Seonghwa learned a lot from her, but he does _not_ want to engage in this conversation. He's never liked talk of war. He's never been much of a talker in general, actually.

"We're going to have to leave tonight then, but we can't visit Bloodbane first. If we did, then they would suspect something since we typically visit them towards the end of our yearly trips. As the pack leader of Chrysalis, we must take this seriously. War is the one thing we have been trying to prevent for so many years, and we have done so successfully so far. I'm not going to allow that to change now just because of Bloodbane and their nutty assumptions of Essence," Seonghwa's father, Park Gyungho, explains, expanding on his wife's thoughts.

Seonghwa listens mindlessly to his parents' speech to the higher tier wolves of their pack, keeping his face neutral.

"While we are gone, we are entrusting the Han family in the upkeep of our pack values and pack in general. Every year, they have done a wonderful job keeping everyone in check, especially our visitors coming to learn about our customs and values," Gyungho goes on, in the end, bowing towards the Han family sitting on the left side of the table.

Seonghwa shifts his eyes once again, this time to look towards the Han family. His father has been wanting him to try and get along better with the Han's daughter, Eunji, but Seonghwa had no interest in getting to know her. Seonghwa doesn't have much interest in getting to know anyone, really.

The Han family all stand up and bow in understanding and respect towards the Park family at the head of the table.

"We must get to packing for our journey, now. I know that you all understand, and thank you for taking such wonderful care of our pack ahead of time," Hyejin smiles and also bows before all of the Park family leave the meeting house and go back to their own home to pack for their trip.

Seonghwa goes to his room and gets out his backpack. This is what they all use while traveling long distances. These backpacks are made so that when they shift into their wolf forms, it stays attached to them, so there is no issue with that. It's something that Chrysalis has used for many years since they must travel quite frequently, even aside from the Park's yearly trip around the packs. The Chrysalis pack is a decent distance away from most things, but it doesn't bother them. They've always preferred it that way, to always keep their pack grounds on the original grounds that they originated from.

Seonghwa looks out the window longingly at the pack members doing their daily duties. He dislikes having to leave his home, but he would do anything for his pack and for his family. His pack _is_ his family. Being a male omega like Seonghwa is, is very rare for Chrysalis, and especially for the Park family. Being of pure and royal bloodline as they are, Seonghwa is basically a one in a million chance.

Because of Seonghwa's circumstances, his family raised him to be a very strong person, physically and mentally. Being raised like this, along with his pack having so many rules and values to memorize and keep at the forefront of his mind at all times, Seonghwa has grown to be distant with people outside of his family. Even within his family, Seonghwa isn't very emotive or talkative.

Seonghwa finishes packing everything he will need for the trip into his backpack and sits down on his bed to rest for a moment, knowing he will be running all night to get to the first pack they're visiting. They always stay the night at the pack grounds they visit since they have to travel so long to get to everyone. That is something Seonghwa is especially not looking forward to. He never liked the attention his family always received when they would stay with the packs. Families of each pack would always bring them gifts or food, and it always mad Seonghwa feel uneasy... Guilty, even.

"Seonghwa, come on, son. We must go now if we want to get to Eclipse by the morning," Gyungho calls from outside of Seonghwa's door.

Eclipse? Seonghwa doesn't recall ever visiting them before.

Seonghwa gets up and puts his backpack on, clasping it in the front before he opens the door for his father, looking at him with a confused look.

"We haven't visited Eclipse before, but considering Bloodbane has been discussing going to war with Essence, we need to visit every single pack this time. We must make sure that the peace is kept between all of the packs. I'll be damned if I let Bloodbane ruin the peace we've maintained for so many years," Gyungho curses under his breath, walking out to the front of their home with Seonghwa.

Seonghwa just hums, keeping his head and eyes straight as they walk, maintaining his perfect posture as they get to where his mother and two siblings, Dohyon and Areum, are. Seonghwa is the youngest out of the three, his brother Dohyon being the eldest and his sister Areum being the middle child. Dohyon has been spending a lot of time with their father recently, learning the ways to lead a pack. Seonghwa has also had these lessons, but Dohyon is an alpha male wolf _and_ he is older, so he holds the seniority over Seonghwa. Seonghwa was never too worried, though. He knew he would never be the head of the pack like his father, but that didn't stop his discipline. Seonghwa has always followed the pack rules. He thinks back through all of his life and he doesn't think he's ever broken a rule before.

Just before the Park family is about to head out, Gyungho starts to speak, "Now, I know I say this every time we go, but make sure to be on your _best_ behavior while we are visiting. These packs are taking us in for the night and I will not stand for any of you being disrespectful. I expect each of you to hold to our standards and rules. Punishment will be in order if you are to break our rules."

All three of the children nod and do a small bow to their father. They've all gotten this spiel before; it's the same one their father gives every time they go anywhere.

~

The Park family has been running for a few hours now. They're only a few minutes away from the Eclipse pack grounds and Seonghwa starts to feel a bit uneasy about the new place they've never visited before. Eclipse starts to come into view and it looks as if it's in ruin. The grounds are barren with not a lot of greens and the buildings seem like they haven't been updated in years. Are we too late? Did war already fall upon this pack?

Seonghwa's father and mother stop them before they reach the entrance.

"Eclipse is a very poor and weak pack due to a war many many years ago that wiped them of their power. I know you all were thinking why it looked so run down, so please don't bring it up to their people. Now, let's shift and greet Eclipse nicely," Hyejin explains to her children.

The three of them nod at their mother and then all go behind the trees to shift and change back into their almost regal-looking attire. Seonghwa dresses out into a traditional white robe along with his family. All of their clothing is white, as it is their pack color. All of the wolves in Chrysalis have white fur and are required to wear white clothing. They're quite hard to miss.

Seonghwa stays quiet as he and his family walked into Eclipse, being welcomed as soon as pack members see them. Everyone knows the shifters that wear white robes, they're the highest tier leaders among the wolves.

Seonghwa doesn't look around much, keeping his eyes straight ahead of himself as he walks with his family. He's stopped in his tracks when what he assumes the head alpha of the Eclipse pack comes up to greet them. Why does he look so young?

"The Park family of pack Chrysalis, welcome to Eclipse," the alpha bows deeply as he welcomes Seonghwa and his family into his territory.

Seonghwa feels something aching in the pit of his stomach as he watches the man rise up from his deep bow, but he keeps his face emotionless. He's overwhelmed by the beautiful rose scent that's radiating off the man greeting them. 

Who is this man?

Gyungho and Hyejin immediately bow back, followed by Seonghwa and his siblings.

"Thank you so much for having us, San. We appreciate you aiding our stay here while we are visiting," Gyungho is the first to reply, always being sure to show his gratitude and respect to each and every pack.

Seonghwa doesn't miss when the alpha, or San, as his father referred to him as, looks at him for a moment too long.

Seonghwa can feel his wolf inside him stirring as the ache in his stomach refuses to go away. Instead, it rises up further into his chest, rippling through his veins. Seonghwa keeps calm, maintaining his cool composure whilst a wildfire is spreading within him.

What is going on...? 

"I don't believe I've ever met any of your children, have I, Gyungho?" San asks, looking at each of them, but lingering his gaze on Seonghwa the longest. San knew right when he laid eyes on the man who smelled of lavender. This would be his mate in the future. He felt it deep inside himself, his wolf immediately yearning for the omega standing in front of him. San wonders if Seonghwa is going through a similar feeling as him right now. He can't tell, the omega seemed almost emotionless when he looked at him.

Dohyon steps forward first, bowing to San, "I am Dohyon, the eldest child of the Park family. Thank you for having us."

San smiles, nodding in respect to the eldest son.

"I'm Areum, second eldest of the Park family. Thank you for having us," Areum bows next in quick succession, smiling at San when she comes up.

San nods once more, appreciate let how distinguished the Park family truly is. Chrysalis must whip them into shape young, he thinks. He's heard that their pack is extremely strict with rules and has many celebrated customs. San doesn't know if he could ever live with so many rules to uphold.

Lastly, Seonghwa steps forward and goes into a bow, "I am Seonghwa, the youngest of the Park family. Thank you for having us," he says, almost on autopilot. The same introduction every single time they meet someone new. Seonghwa doesn't mind, he appreciates the order of things, but he dislikes so much interaction. Especially to this man. Seonghwa wants this feeling inside of him to go away. Perhaps if he just ignores it and stays away from this man San, it will go away, but even if he ignores him, he knows the scent of rose will linger.

San smiles a bit too big after Seonghwa's introduction, finding him much different from his other two siblings. He seems so closed off, so distant. San wonders what is going on inside of his head.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you finally. Your father has visited once or twice alone, but it's nice to meet the rest of his lovely family," San says, keeping his bright smile as he turns, "Let me show you what I've prepared, come along."

San walks towards a small cluster of homes, stopping in front of one of the larger ones, "Here is where you will be staying, I hope that it is to your liking. You're welcome to roam around the grounds while you're here as well, of course. Tonight is actually a special night where all of the pack sits around a bonfire to tell stories. You're more than welcome to join us for that."

San notices how Seonghwa's expression hasn't changed much since he first laid eyes on him. He must not have felt what he did during their first meeting, San thinks to himself. 

"Oh, San. There's no need to be so formal with us, son. Relax a bit, you're young like my children. Perhaps you all could become friends or some sort in the short period we are here visiting," Gyungho suggests, always liking when his children make friends with the surrounding packs since they will soon be the heads of Chrysalis before long. Having many allies is very important in keeping peace among the pack clans.

San smiles and nods with respect, "Of course, of course."

Gyungho and Hyejin enter the home San has prepared for their family, followed by Dohyon, Areum, and lastly Seonghwa. Seonghwa keeps his eyes straight, not giving San a lasting glance as San had given him while he left to go into the home.

San can't help but smile as he watches Seonghwa go in, hoping that he likes the rooms he prepared -- well, he hopes they all like it, not just Seonghwa, of course. He laughs a bit at his own thoughts. Maybe they all will really come out to become friends. San has wanted to see new people for a long while, but due to Eclipse's low rank, no one really comes anymore. Since no one has come, the pack is no longer able to thrive, keeping it in it's weak and quite poor state.

San wasn't born yet when the war happened that stripped Eclipse of ranking and power, all he knows is he would never wish it on any other pack. He would like for peace to be kept as long as possible. San starts walking around the Eclipse grounds, wondering why Chrysalis would be visiting when they haven't before. Only Gyungho has been here previously.

Could something be stirring within one of the other packs? San can't be sure.

**End of Chapter One**


	3. Chapter Two

~

Seonghwa sees his parents have already chosen their room, along with Dohyon and Areum, so he goes to the last room. As he enters, he looks around and nods of approval at the nicely made bed and wooden chest and desk. He removes his backpack and sets it on the desk. He's just about to begin unpacking when he hears his mother's voice.

"Seonghwa, honey, how about you and Dohyon go make friends with San? Areum and I will be going down to the ladies home your father told me about. He also said he was going to check things with the elders, so I think it would be nice for you two to spend time with San. What do you think?" Hyejin says, poking her head into the room Seonghwa settled in.

Seonghwa offers a nod in agreeance and it makes his mother smile widely.

"Great, Dohyon is out by the front door waiting for you," Hyejin replies before leaving to fetch Areum.

Seonghwa lets out a sigh once his mother leaves, unsure about being around San when his chest is still stirring with unknown emotions from their first meeting. He was hoping that he wouldn't have to see him until they would inevitably go to the bonfire he had mentioned. Seonghwa straightens himself up and leaves the room to meet his brother at the front door.

Dohyon smiles when he sees Seonghwa coming, "I see mother convinced you, huh? He seems nice, though. Father was telling me how he didn't have many people our age left," Dohyon talks as they walk out of the home, roaming around the grounds to find San, "Maybe he wouldn't mind a spar... He and I are both alphas, and I haven't had a good spar in a long time. Father said how Eclipse is thought of as weak, but they held great power at their peak."

Seonghwa walks along with Dohyon, listening to him talk. He hears him mention about sparring and Seonghwa shakes his head sternly, "You know sparring is not allowed unless supervised."

Dohyon chuckles at Seonghwa's seriousness, "Of course, but you'll be there," he winks and pats his brother's head, "My little supervisor."

Seonghwa scowls as he straightens his hair down with his hands in case Dohyon messed it up, "You know you need an _elder_ supervisor--" Seonghwa retorts, pausing short when he sees San and he shuts his mouth. His beautiful rose scent immediately filling his nose, his wolf internally purring at the smell.

Dohyon sees San about the same time as Seonghwa, going up to him instantly while Seonghwa lags behind him.

"San, it's a good thing we caught up to you. Father wanted us to spend some time with you, being the head men of our packs and all," Dohyon says, smiling proudly.

San nods and smiles back, offering a small bow at their presence, "That sounds great, I could show you around the grounds," San says, catching a glance towards Seonghwa during his greeting, their eyes meeting for a brief moment. He feels the same burning in his chest that he felt when he first saw him, feeling his wolf roaring for his mate, but he keeps it at ease.

Seonghwa bows back in respect, giving his brother a scolding look for not bowing. Has he not been learning from father all these years? Always bow in respect to people of authority. Seonghwa's breathing hitches as his eyes meet with San's for that short moment, it taking all of his power to hold back his wolf and to keep from wincing from the feeling rising further in his chest.

Must he really endure this for the rest of their stay?

"Apologies for my brother, he is not much for talking or interaction," Dohyon explains to San.

San shakes his head, "That's alright, he's not familiar with me after all, and all of this traveling must not bode well."

"He's like this with just about everyone though, isn't that right Hwa?" Dohyon smiles and nudges Seonghwa's shoulder.

Seonghwa gives his brother a look, his eyebrows knitted. Dohyon knows his brother doesn't think much of physical contact, "Behave."

Dohyon shakes his head at Seonghwa's words. Can't he ever just have fun?

San begins to walk, "Come on, you two, let me show you around. I know it's not much compared to your grounds, but it's my home. We've all done our best to build it back up to try and make it be what it once was, but it's quite difficult with not many people capable of doing the required work."

Seonghwa and Dohyon follow behind San, Seonghwa keeping his posture upright as he walks and his eyes straight, but he keeps catching himself looking at the back of the head alpha's head. He has such a peculiar hairstyle, black with a white stripe in the front. It's so wavy, too... Seonghwa's always been intrigued every time they visit other packs at their different styles of dress, as well as their hairstyles.

"We've heard and read about the wars that happened here. We want to make sure nothing like that ever happens again," Dohyon says, and can feel Seonghwa's stern eyes from his side, knowing it's not wise to mention war.

"That is why I appreciate a family such as yours being the head of us all. Peace is a wonderful thing. The fear and worry of what happened to Eclipse hasn't crossed our minds since we know Chrysalis is holding that kind of power. You all keeping peace like you have been has truly put all of Eclipse's minds at ease, I thank you for that," San says with much gratitude in his tone as he continues to walk around the grounds, already almost towards the end.

Dohyon notices they've come to the end and there are not many people here in this part of the grounds. A smile comes across his face as he asks, "Would you be up for a spar, San?"

"Dohyon, you cannot," Seonghwa demands.

"A spar?" San laughs, "I haven't been asked for a spar in such a long while, but I'm always up for it," San says confidently, turning around to face the two brothers.

Dohyon steps forward, ignoring Seonghwa's words, "Ah, I've been wanting to spar with another top alpha for such a long time."

"Tch..." Seonghwa turns his body slightly away from the two of them, "You _know_ the rules, Dohyon. I'll get father if you don't back down."

San smiles playfully over at Seonghwa, going over to him, "Hey, it'll be alright. We will be quick, won't we?" San says, not taking his eyes off of Seonghwa when he asks his question to Dohyon. San could feel his heart pounding intensely as he got closer to Seonghwa.

Seonghwa kept eye contact with San as he spoke to him, Seonghwa feeling himself wanting to step forward towards San, but instead, he takes a step back and shifts his eyes away. Seonghwa doesn't say anything else as San still stands there for a few seconds. He could feel his eyes still on him, along with his smile, but then San went back to Dohyon.

Dohyon smirked when San came back, "He's a stickler for the rules."

Seonghwa was sure that Dohyon just wanted to show off to the new head alpha they met, but he could feel the confidence radiating off of San. He wasn't so sure that his brother was going to win this spar.

Dohyon shifted, a large pure white wolf appearing where Dohyon's human body once stood. His white robes he was wearing fell onto the ground underneath him.

San also shifted, his wolf is not as large as Dohyon's, but the pitch-black fur and white stripe on his face showed dominance. His clothing also falling below himself, so they both move to a more clear area.

Seonghwa feels his wolf wanting to come out as soon as he lays eyes on San's wolf, finding his coat the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. Seonghwa can't take his eyes off of him, feeling his eyes soften the longer he takes him in. Why is his body reacting in this way? The last thing he would want to do is ask his parents, knowing the rules very well -- mating within their pack is only allowed with the opposite sexes. Seonghwa knows he needs to close his heart and stay away from San. He's read about the type of thing he felt when he saw San. He knows what it means. Seonghwa wipes his thoughts from his mind and focuses back on the two wolves.

Soon, they were fighting, at each other's throats. Seonghwa hasn't seen his brother spar for a few years, but he seemed to be powerful. Although, his powerful exterior fell short to San's powerful interior, having Dohyon's wolf on the ground almost instantly after their spar begun. Dohyon growled, hating how quickly he was put down. He knows it's been a while, but he couldn't be this rusty, could he?

Seonghwa held back a laugh as San's wolf got up off of his brother, Dohyon standing back up on all fours and they circle each other.

_Calm down, Dohyon._ Seonghwa sends to him through their pack bond.

Dohyon doesn't, not even responding, and instead goes in for another spar, but it only ends up the same way. Dohyon on the ground with San hovering above.

After a few more ending the exact same, they shift back, Dohyon going to put on his white robes.

"I didn't expect you to be such a powerhouse, San," Dohyon admits, usually good about admitting his defeat. One of his better qualities, Seonghwa thinks.

San dresses and goes back over to him, "I know of the rumors for Eclipse being weak, but I don't think much of them," San proudly smiles, happy to represent his pack's true power through himself. He knows his pack _is_ lacking in that department, though. He knows he's the only one truly able to fight. Most of Eclipse is full of elders or younger children that they take care of. Many adults and newly turned adults leave the pack. San never wanted to leave. He knows that Eclipse can be powerful again. One day.

"I appreciate you for agreeing to spar with me. I know that I must focus more on my physical training now," Dohyon says, thinking about how he will have to ask father to spar more once they return to Chrysalis.

Dohyon sees a few children gathered, struggling to carry a big bucket filled with water, "Hey, I'll be right back," he says to them before hurrying over to help the children carry the bucket.

Seonghwa glances over to his brother, seeing him smiling happily and talking to the children as he takes the bucket to carry it for them and it makes the corners of his mouth slightly turn up into a smile.

"He likes children, does he?" San asks, smiling now that he is alone with Seonghwa. San notices Seonghwa's slight smile and his eyes sparkle at the sight, it being the first time he's ever seen him actually smile before.

Seonghwa just nods, turning his head back to San and dropping his face back down fast. He makes sure to not make eye contact with the alpha, but having his presence so close causes his insides to stir.

San's bright smile doesn't leave his face as he moves to be in front of Seonghwa's gaze, poking his head closer to Seonghwa's so he has nowhere else to look, "Are you always so uptight?" He tilts his head, looking up into Seonghwa's eyes.

Seonghwa looks back at San with an unchanging expression, taking in his soft brown eyes. His own eyes flashing gold as his wolf is begging for Seonghwa to make physical contact with San. The aching in his chest seems to flare up even more the closer the two become. Seonghwa doesn't want to accept this. It truly can't be the case. There's no way this man is his _mate._

San looks behind Seonghwa, seeing that Dohyon has disappeared fully with the children, so he swiftly takes Seonghwa's hand and brings him between two buildings where they are alone and unable to be seen as easily.

Seonghwa feels the aching go away and instead turn into yearning as soon as San grabs onto his hand, feeling the electricity burning within him. Seonghwa quickly takes his hand out of San's grasp, refusing to accept these circumstances he's found himself in ever since he set foot on Eclipse grounds.

San doesn't try to reach for Seonghwa's hand again, not wanting to cross any boundaries, but he had to get him where no one could see them. He has to know.

"You feel it too, don't you, Seonghwa? Right when we saw each other...? You're my--"

"Shut up," Seonghwa interrupts, refusing for him to say those dreaded words. He won't allow this to happen. He's worked too hard for his pack and family. He won't let his loyalty falter no matter the situation he finds himself in. He's not like his brother who will loosely follow the rules and will not follow them altogether when he knows he won't get caught. It really does pain Seonghwa to be so mean towards San, "I feel nothing for you," but he must do it. This rule is one to not be taken lightly, especially for him.

San is a bit taken aback at Seonghwa's words. Does he really not feel anything? He didn't feel anything when they met? Not even now? San knows how fast his heart is beating inside his chest and he can feel his wolf craving for Seonghwa's touch again. He felt the growl from within him whenever Seonghwa pulled his hand away. There's no way... He's heard too many stories about fated mates, he _knows_ Seonghwa is his.

"Nothing? Nothing at all?" San tries not to let his smile fade, no matter how much Seonghwa's words damaged him. He studies Seonghwa's face, unknowingly getting closer to him. Such perfectly milky skin and brown eyes so fierce they could cut right through him if he stared long enough.

"Tch," Seonghwa turns his head away from San, unable to keep looking at him. He could feel San's warm breath on his face when he had spoken, it continuing to ease the aching in Seonghwa's chest. How could he keep that stupid smile on his face after getting rejected?

Seonghwa straightens his back as well as his robe and he starts walking away from San. His body and wolf straining him as he walks, wanting him to go back to the alpha, his alpha.

San gets a bigger smile on his face when Seonghwa walks away from him, letting out a small laugh, "I'll see you tonight at the bonfire then, Seonghwa."

Seonghwa shakes his head as he keeps walking, not stopping until he gets back to the home they're staying in. He immediately goes back to his room and sits on the bed, putting his face in his hands as he rests his arms on his knees. Seonghwa can feel his wolf whining, it feeling hurt that Seonghwa is no longer with San. He can feel his chest aching again. Is this how it's going to be from now on?

A while later, Dohyon comes into Seonghwa's room, "Hey, I got caught up with the children. They needed me to help them with a few more things. How was everything with San after I left?"

"Fine."

Dohyon just chuckles as he enters the room, going over and sitting on the bed with Seonghwa, "I'm sorry if you're mad about the sparring, Hwa... Please don't tell father, I really just wanted to. It's been so long since father has let me spar with the rest of the pack," Dohyon explains, never having minded how short Seonghwa was with his words. He was his family and that was just his personality.

Seonghwa sighs, "I won't, Dohyon..." Seonghwa has always had somewhat of a soft spot for his brother. He's always been there for him and tried to get him out of his shell he had put himself in. Seonghwa was quite a bit more playful when he was younger, but as he's gotten older, he's been a strict rule follower and doesn't want to disappoint his family or pack. He wants to lead as a good example for all of his pack.

Dohyon lays his head against Seonghwa's shoulder and smiles up at him, "You're the best brother, even if you don't talk as much as you used to... I miss you sometimes, Hwa. Don't you ever just want to break just one teensy rule?" Dohyon lifts his hand, showing a little pinching motion with his index finger and thumb.

Seonghwa thinks about it for a moment. Has he ever wanted to break one of their rules? His mind can't help but think of Seonghwa in this moment. One rule, huh...? He lets out a sigh, letting his face fall from his normal stoic one, "Sometimes."

Dohyon lights up when Seonghwa actually answers him with something other than no, "Really?" He lifts his head up and looks at his brother's face, "I say that we should have you break at least one rule on this trip," Dohyon offers him a wink, unable to stop smiling. Their pack is always so strict, it's nice to go against every once and awhile.

Seonghwa shakes his head, "We've done enough rule-breaking already, don't you think, Dohyon?"

"I have, but you haven't"

"I am just by keeping that you did a secret, Dohyon."

Dohyon frowns, "You know what I mean, Hwa~! A real rule. Let's sneak into the girl's bathhouse tonight," Dohyon instantly turns giddy.

Seonghwa's eyebrows knit together, "We are _not_ doing that, Dohyon."

Dohyon gives Seonghwa a playful push, "Come on, Hwa, I'm just playing around. What about holding hands with someone?" He grabs onto Seonghwa's hand.

"We're family, it doesn't count," Seonghwa says bluntly, but he remembers before when San had taken his hand to pull him between the two buildings. Did he break a rule? Seonghwa's face goes blank as he realizes what he's done. He doesn't believe he's ever broken a pack rule before. He knows that only minimal touching is allowed between non-family and non-mates. He only held it for a few seconds, that counts as minimal, right?

"There's not many people our age around here I noticed. It's really only San. Maybe that's why they wanted us to hang out with him, he must not have a lot of friends in his packs," Dohyon laughs, "Other than children and elders, of course."

Seonghwa just nods, trying to clear his mind once again.

"How is he ever going to find a mate around here? I suppose he will be one of those no-mate types."

Seonghwa thinks about what Dohyon said, "Mhm," is all he can muster, not wanting to say anything about mates.

Dohyon sighs, seeing that Seonghwa has gone back into his shell, "Well, I'm going to go put on my nicer robe for the bonfire. The sun sets pretty early here, don't you think?" He motions to the window where the sun has mostly gone down.

Seonghwa stays quiet as Dohyon leaves his room, sliding the door shut behind him. Should he put on his nicer robe for the bonfire as well? He finds himself getting up and going towards his backpack, subconsciously wanting to impress San when he sees him again. Seonghwa drops his robe, slipping into his embroidered silky white robe his grandmother had made for him.

Seonghwa looks into the long mirror, inspecting his robe and making sure he secured it correctly.

No-mate types... Is that what Seonghwa will have to be now, too?

**End of Chapter Two**


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE! I decided to update a day early <3

The Park family makes their way to the middle of the Eclipse grounds where the smoke is coming up from the ground. Once they get there, they see the smoke coming from a small bonfire pit, seeing most of the pack sitting in a circle around the pit.

San turns and sees them, getting up and waving them all over. His eyes light up brightly under the colors of the fire when he sees Seonghwa coming up to him with his family, admiring the beautiful robes he changed into. He looks so incredible. San feels his wolf wanting to come out and pounce onto his fated mate. San feels a wavering in his heart when he remembers earlier today when Seonghwa told him he felt nothing for him. San knows that can't be true.

They all sit down with San around the fire, Seonghwa ending up having to sit next to San, their complementary scents instantly mixing together. Though, Seonghwa doesn't even give him a glance, keeping his eyes looking into the fire.

"I'm so glad you all came, we love to do this at least once a week so we can all be together. I find it really peaceful, and then after this, we head to the bathhouses. Do you all use bathhouses?" San asks because he's honestly not sure about a lot of other packs. San looks towards the family, but his eyes always linger back to Seonghwa.

"Yes, we use them," Gyungho answers happily, enjoying the fire in front of them. It's nice to get to relax after a long day of running.

San nods, seeing that he's relaxing and it makes him feel happy. He wonders how hard on the body it must be to have to run so much for a month straight. He finds himself worrying deeply for his mate but knows he is strong beneath all of those robes. San can't seem to take his eyes off of Seonghwa.

Hyejin notices San's interest in her son Seonghwa and it worries her a bit, having noticed how long his eyes have been longing for his ever since they arrived at the bonfire. What is going on here? She decides that she will wait for later to bring it up to Seonghwa. She lays against her husband Gyungho and enjoys the fire, instead.

San thought he could feel eyes on him, so he quickly shifts his eyes away from Seonghwa and back to the fire.

Many stories are told over the roaring fire, stories that are humorous, stories that are about childhood, and stories about love. One elder couple even talked about how they were fated mates and their love story of them finding each other.

Hearing that final story made Seonghwa's chest ache and it wasn't just from San's presence. He rests back, holding himself up with his arms, the arms of his robes covering over his hands.

San feels his heart becoming erratic as he slowly moves his hand under the arm sleeve of Seonghwa's robe, gently moving it over top of his hand. San closes his eyes briefly and hopes that Seonghwa doesn't pull away from him, needing to feel his touch. He knows that Seonghwa will be leaving in the morning... Will he ever see him again? San knows he doesn't accept him as his mate, but he sure can try while he is still with him.

Secretly, of course.

Seonghwa feels the sleeve of his robe slightly shift and then fire ignites within him as he feels San's hand moving on top of his. He knows he should move his hand away, but he leaves it there underneath San's, allowing himself to take in the power of his touch against his skin.

_Just one rule._

San's body warms up as Seonghwa leaves his hand under his, the alpha's wolf internally purring for the contact with his mate. He doesn't dare look at him, not wanting to draw attention to the two of them further. It isn't much, but San is happy. He feels like this is a step, that he could be breaking through to Seonghwa. At least, that's what he thinks before Seonghwa pulls his hand away from him.

Seonghwa couldn't do it anymore, he knew what he was allowing to happen was wrong. Everyone was beginning to get up anyway and started heading for the bathhouses on the left side of where the bonfire was. Seonghwa went with his father and brother into the male bathhouse, while his mother and sister went into the female bathhouse.

While everyone else entered the bathhouses, San stayed behind for a few minutes to put out the fire.

The men all stripped down and entered into the warm bathwater. Seonghwa has always been a bit uneasy every time they travel to the other packs and be with so many strangers together in such a way. Himself being an omega only heightened these worries. He's never come across a problem, but it's always been at the back of his mind.

Seonghwa is one of the last to strip down and enter the bath, doing so right as San comes into the bathhouse. Seonghwa's lower half was thankfully already submerged into the water and he went to go relax with his father and brother.

Seonghwa doesn't dare turn to look as San strips out of his clothing and enters the water. Instead, he focuses on his posture and keeping his face straight, enjoying the quiet area they are in right now.

After a few minutes, most Eclipse members leave the bath, going back to their homes. Seonghwa, Gyungho, and Dohyon are all still relaxing at one end of the water, while San is towards the other end.

San notices that Gyungho and his eldest son Dohyon get out of the bath, going over to retrieve their robes, but what he notices most is that Seonghwa stays back.

Gyungho and Dohyon tell Seonghwa not to stay much longer as they have a long journey ahead of them tomorrow morning. Seonghwa has usually liked to stay in the water for a while longer after all the crowd leaves, finding himself finally able to be at peace.

Seonghwa just nods and his father and brother exit the bathhouse to go back to their temporary home. Once they leave, he sinks himself into the water further, resting his head back against the ledge.

San guiltily watches his fated mate from across the water, admiring how beautiful his skin looks glistening from the liquids dripping off it. A calming lavender scent waves over to him and he can't help but smile as he continues to gaze at Seonghwa.

Seonghwa can feel San's eyes on him and he can't decide how it's making him feel. He's extremely vulnerable right now in this state, so he should be at least a little fearful of the alpha on the other side of him, but his wolf is begging for him to go over there with him. Seonghwa takes a deep breath before opening his eyes to look over at San, finding his senses to be right as their eyes instantly met.

"You are absolutely breathtaking," San lets out as soon as they lock eyes, the bathhouse filling up with their combination of rose and lavender.

Seonghwa's lips part subconsciously, trying to calm his breathing by breathing through his mouth. His eyes soften as he hears San's words, feeling drawn to him even more than usual as their scents overtake the bathhouse. Seonghwa's wolf begs to go to San, but he tries to restrain himself, starting to make his way to the steps to leave the water. He can't be here any longer... 

As Seonghwa is walking up the stairs, San takes the chance and reaches out for his hand to make him stop in place. Seonghwa's breathing hitches when San grabs ahold of his hand, but he keeps himself as calm as he can.

San gazes at the water dripping down Seonghwa's bare back, his chest exposed from out of the water. His chest floods with emotion from the skin-to-skin contact and he can feel his wolf's craving to have Seonghwa all to himself and to claim him, but San keeps his wolf at bay.

"Seonghwa..."

Seonghwa feels a pang in his heart when he hears San call his name, finding it hard to keep his thoughts clear from all of these conflicting emotions. He slowly turns around to face towards San as he is still in the water, only above his collarbone being exposed to the air. Seonghwa sees the longing in San's eyes as he looks into them, it breaks his heart that he has to do this to him, but he has no other choice. There are too many things wrong with this pairing.

"I can't, San."

San can't help but feel pain course through his veins at his repeated rejection, "Yes you can, Seonghwa. You can!" He says frantically, squeezing his hand firmly, "We're fated mates. We are _meant_ to be together. I don't understand why you keep pushing me away... You saw how strong I am out there with your brother, I could protect you. Is it because of my pack's ranking?" San filters through all of his thoughts out loud, losing his breath by the end.

Seonghwa can almost feel San's pain through their touch, he can feel his heartache. He knows that if he is able to feel San's feelings, then San is also able to feel his... San knows how conflicted Seonghwa is right now and it's killing him that he doesn't know why.

"Shut up, shut up!" Seonghwa growls, letting his emotions get the better of him, "It's not your ranking, it's not your strength _or_ your power. You're a man and you're from another pack, and _that_ is unacceptable."

San steps up to the same step Seonghwa is on so they're now levelly facing each other, "Why?"

"It's the rules, San, and I'm not going to go against my pack and family just for some old folktale parents would tell their children about 'fated mates.' They're not real," Seonghwa explains, this being the most he's talked in a long time.

"You can't tell me that what we're both feeling right now isn't _real_ , Seonghwa. You would be lying to yourself," San's thumb gently rubs against the top of Seonghwa's hand before making its way up his arm and eventually going to caress his soft cheek.

Seonghwa almost leans into San's touch before he snaps out of it, "Don't touch me," He wills himself away from San's touch, his heart seething as soon as they break contact with each other. He sees how San's eyes become solemn as soon as Seonghwa shifts away from him.

"I'll stop," San says, letting out a small sigh as he walks fully up the steps and out of the water to go over to his clothing. A few moments of silence pass between the two as they're both now clothing themselves when San speaks, "You know that burning feeling in your chest that we get when we're apart?" He starts, his voice sounding somewhat small for an alpha -- Seonghwa really must've defeated his spirit.

Seonghwa just hums in response, falling back into his closed-off shell he's built for himself.

"It's going to get worse and worse... Until we can't bear it any longer. It will consume our bodies, along with our wolves, and eat us alive. I'm really hoping that that part really is just a folktale," San rubs his forehead as he speaks, hating how dispirited his voice sounds coming out of his mouth.

"It'll be fine. I've seen it before," Seonghwa fastens the belt around his embroidered white robe before going towards the bathhouse doors, "They don't actually die... That part really is just a folktale."

San watches as Seonghwa leaves him alone in the bathhouse with his words lingering in the air around him. He wants to say he is relieved, but the fact that he really is just letting his mate leave like that crushes him. San mentally cursed at himself for being so down. He's always been such an upbeat guy all of his life, so why now is he feeling so beaten into the ground?

San leaves the bathhouse and sees Seonghwa walking back to the home he had prepared for him and his family. Instead of going inside, however, Seonghwa slowly paces around outside. San watches him as he goes back to his own home, but stops once he enters, going and laying in his bed.

San's mind can't rid itself of thoughts of Seonghwa. He knew he would have to leave due to his family's travels, but he thought he could make some sort of impact on him during the short time he was here. He lies there wondering about his mate when there's a sudden small knock on his front door. He gets up from his bed and sighs, knowing it's probably one of the children that had a nightmare again, but when he goes to open his front door no one is there.

Really? Tonight of all nights the children decide to pull a prank... San goes outside, looking around and not seeing any of the children. He smiles and laughs as he goes to the right side of his house to look around the corner, "Come on guys, you need to go to sleep!" San's always loved the children of his pack, always treating them like his own. He'd love to have his own someday, but seeing how things went throughout today... He doesn't find that likely.

When he peeks around the corner, he doesn't find any of the children, though. San is a bit confused, as this is normally where they like to hide after one of their pranks on his house. What he doesn't expect is the faint smell of lavender lingering around the corner. Seonghwa...?

San whips his head around and tries to look for Seonghwa. Was he really here? Is he the one that knocked on his door? San goes back out in front of his house and he can still smell the sweet and familiar scent of his mate. He sits on the steps that lead back into his home and sighs, rubbing his forehead.

He's not sure of all of the Chrysalis pack rules, but could mates really not be of the same sex? Is that really one of their rules? He's never thought that much about sexuality, he's always been busy with his pack and keeping everything in order.

San eventually goes back to bed and falls asleep, his dreams haunted by the mate who rejected him.

The next morning, Seonghwa wakes up early, knowing they must leave relatively soon. He knows he shouldn't have gone to San's home last night and knocked on his door, but something led him to do it. He immediately regretted his decision and rushed home before he heard him come out of his house.

Seonghwa puts on his backpack after adjusting his robe on his body. He walks around the room a bit, dragging his fingertips along the windowsill, looking out at the Eclipse grounds. His chest is aching again, knowing that his entire being wants to be with San right now, but Seonghwa knows that's impossible for him.

"Seonghwa, are you ready? Mother, father, and Dohyon are already outside with the head alpha," Seonghwa's sister Areum calls out from outside his room, "We must leave if we want to make it to Riverside by sundown."

Seonghwa slides the door to his room open and nods to his sister, showing that he is ready to leave.

"Come on, then," Areum smiles and leads Seonghwa out of the house and to the gathering with their parents and San.

Areum and Seonghwa bow once they reach the rest of their family and San, showing respect. San bows back to them, smiling happily.

Seonghwa notices San's joyous smile, finding it interesting how from the little time he's spent with him, he's always so happy. After thinking about that, seeing San's face last night damaged Seonghwa's heart even more.

"I've appreciated your company, Gyungho. Your family is just as wonderful as you always described them as, thank you, really, for visiting Eclipse this time," San says formally, keeping his posture straight and proper as he sends the Park family off.

"I'm sure we all have enjoyed our stay here, isn't that right?" Gyungho smiles and looks at his wife and children, them all nodding in response except Seonghwa. Seonghwa nods a few seconds later than the rest of them, keeping his eyes away from San the best he can.

San smiles widely at Seonghwa's slight defiance. He's going to be a hard one to get to open up, San thinks to himself.

Gyungho bows once more, and San does the same, "Come on now, we mustn't be late to Riverside."

Hyejin nods and brings Areum with her to shift into their pure white wolf forms. Seonghwa feels his body wanting to stay with San, it being a force to be reckoned with when he begins walking away from him, his musky rose scent willing him back. Seonghwa feels the aching in his chest become more intense as they're all walking out of the Eclipse grounds.

They've all shifted into their wolf forms now, a beautiful pack of white coats. Right before they begin running, Seonghwa looks back at San still standing within the Eclipse grounds.

San smiles happily when he sees Seonghwa looking back at him, admiring the beautiful white fur of his wolf. He can almost see a bit of longing within Seonghwa's eyes.

Maybe there is some hope.

One day, San _will_ meet Seonghwa again. He just knows it.

**End of Chapter Three**

\----------------

Hiya, my loves. I hope you're enjoying the story so far! I've planned 4 different arcs to open up the world and packs and have the next arc written already <3 Each arc will probably be about 3 or so chapters is what I've been aiming for. Chapters _will_ vary in length.

Who do you think the next arc will center around?

What did you think of Seonghwa and San's dynamic? 


	5. Chapter Four

"Go on, Yeosang. You're required to go, you know. I talked with Wooyoung's mother Soomin and you're allowed to stay over after the meeting," Yeosang's mother says, sitting down with her son.

Yeosang has a nervous look on his face when he looks at his mother, Eunmi, "I'm just scared, mom..."

"I know, honey, but everything will go well. I'm sure of it. Your father and I were matched the exact same way," She gives a reassuring smile and Yeosang knows she's right.

Yeosang knows how successful the matching process was for his parents, he's heard their story a thousand times, but he can't help but feel so afraid. He knows he won't like any of his potential alpha mates as much as the person he already likes... There's no way.

Eventually, Yeosang musters up the courage and nods, standing up, "If Wooyoung is brave enough, then I am too."

Eunmi stands and gives her son a loving embrace, "It's going to be okay, Sang... Wooyoung is going to get mated too, you don't want to leave him alone there, right?"

Yeosang hugs his mother back, shaking his head, "Right..."

He takes a deep breath before leaving his home and making his way towards the building where the omega meetings are held. Once he enters, his eyes instantly go searching for his best friend. This is the year when all omegas born in '99 get their forever mate, and that means it's Yeosang and Wooyoung's year according to the Riverside pack rules.

Wooyoung turns his head at the door opening and a sweet vanilla scent wafts into the room, a big smile spreading across his face when he sees it's Yeosang, "Yeosang, over here!" His voice has a tone of excitement as he calls for him.

Yeosang smiles happily and goes over to Wooyoung, hugging him tightly and taking in his intoxicating jasmine scent. Physical contact such as this is extremely common for Riverside, as all of the pack members are usually quite close.

"I was starting to think you wouldn't show up," Wooyoung chuckles as the release from their embrace, sitting down beside each other at the table with the other omegas their age.

Yeosang rubs the back of his head nervously, "Me too..." He tries to laugh, but it just comes out awkward.

Wooyoung smiles as Yeosang's shyness, "Everything is going to be okay, Yeosangie~! You know all of the alphas in Riverside are kind... Well, for the most part," He tries reassuring Yeosang just as his mother tried, ruffling his fluffy light brown hair.

Yeosang can feel the tips of his ears turning red at the nickname, he's always loved when Wooyoung would call him it. He has ever since they were children.

"I know, I know... It's still scary, you know," Yeosang playfully pushes Wooyoung, "Who knows who we're going to get. Isn't the uncertainty scary?"

Wooyoung smiles at Yeosang's playfulness, but shakes his head, "I don't think it's scary, I think it's kind of thrilling, actually."

Yeosang sighs, "Of course you'd think that."

"It's not my fault you're always such a scaredy-cat," Wooyoung smirks.

All of the chattering omegas are soon interrupted when an elder beta enters the room, "Quiet down, everyone," She says calmly, hoping that her soothing voice helps calm all of the awaiting omega's nerves.

Yeosang quiets down instantly, but Wooyoung is still messing with Yeosang, poking his sides to try and get him to laugh. He clenches his teeth to keep from laughing and ends up pushing his best friend, causing him to fall onto the floor. Wooyoung falling doesn't make a loud noise, just a thump since the seat was only about a foot from the floor. That doesn't mean everyone didn't turn around to look at the boy on the floor, though.

Yeosang's eyes widened as soon as he saw Wooyoung slip from his seat, putting his hands in his lap as if nothing happened -- as if he wasn't the one that pushed Wooyoung out of his seat.

Wooyoung narrows his eyes, but his smile doesn't leave his face. That dork. How does he always manage to make a fool out of him in front of everyone? Wooyoung can't help but think as he looks up at his embarrassed best friend acting like he's just the most perfect angel. 

The elder beta sighs as she walks over to Wooyoung and Yeosang, looking down at the omega still on the floor, "Is everything alright over here?" She has a noticeably more annoyed look on her face from when she came in, making Wooyoung's eyes widen as he looks up at her and shakes his head fast.

"Everything is fine, just peachy, actually! I just, uh... I fell is all, I'm sorry for disrupting," Wooyoung says apologetically as he gets up and brushes his clothes off before sitting back next to Yeosang, shooting him a look.

"Good, good... Now let's start, shall we?" She makes her way back up to the front of the room and a few more betas come into the room with some boxes.

"I'll get you back for that," Wooyoung whispers to Yeosang while the betas are unpacking their boxes on the empty tables.

Yeosang hits his knee against Wooyoung's, wanting him to stay quiet.

"Alright, everyone. I don't want you to be too alarmed, but a part of the matching process is to take your blood. It won't be much, but we must see what type everyone has to ensure a good match between you all and your potential alpha match," The elder beta explains to the room of omegas, seeing a few get visibly shaken at the mention of taking blood.

She shows a smile, "Now, now... I promise it's not that scary, really! You might be a bit sleepy afterward, though."

Yeosang happens to be one of the omegas that got a worried look on his face at the explanation, becoming more unsure about all of this. Taking their blood? Yeosang knew this was a practice they've been doing in recent years as a part of the matching process, but he was hoping their group wouldn't have to participate in it. Whilst Yeosang is stuck in his own mind, thinking about what's about to happen, he feels a hand cover his own and squeezes.

Wooyoung leans over to Yeosang, "It'll be okay, I'm doing it too, you know," He tries to reassure his best friend, gently stroking his hands with his thumb as his hand rests on top of Yeosang's.

Yeosang looks down at their hands and feels a spike of indistinguishable emotion and ease course through his body. He's so lucky to have Wooyoung here with him, he's always been so confident in everything he does and has always been able to make Yeosang feel safe and calm.

"Thank you, Woo..." Yeosang takes a few deep breaths, squeezing Wooyoung's hand back as all of the omegas take their turn getting their blood taken by the elder betas.

"Next."

Wooyoung looks at Yeosang and shows him a bright smile, "I'm up!" He says excitedly, getting up from his seat and going up to the front to sit with one of the betas.

Yeosang shudders in his seat when he hears one of the other betas call, "Next."

He tries to think about Wooyoung and how unafraid he has been about this whole thing. He's always wished he could be a bit more like him. Being around Wooyoung, however, _has_ always brought out the best in Yeosang. With Wooyoung, Yeosang feels like he can be more confident too.

With that thought in his mind, Yeosang gets up from his seat and goes up to the front to sit with the beta that will take his blood.

She smiles when Yeosang sits down with her, seeing his fear, "It's going to be okay, dear. You'll just feel a little pinch."

Yeosang sighs, holding out his arm for her. He's getting tired of everyone telling him that it's going to be okay today. Yeosang's thoughts vanish when he feels the thick needle enter into his skin, letting out a yelp. 

A pinch?! That was a hell of a lot more than a pinch.

Yeosang's eyes widen as he watches his blood coming out of him and filling up the vial with the red liquid. He feels the fear welling up inside of his chest, so he turns around and looks at Wooyoung who's already smiling at him and giving him a thumbs up with his free hand.

_Don't worry, Yeosangie. It'll be over really quick_ , Wooyoung reassures Yeosang through their link. They've had one ever since they became best friends back when they were young, but they don't use it often since they're already together all of the time. He hopes that their link will never break, knowing it has the potential of breaking if one gets too far away for an extended period of time.

It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. Yeosang continues to tell himself this in his head, Wooyoung's words in his head helping him get through it. He starts to feel a bit light-headed towards the end of the blood-taking process.

"You're all done, sweetie," The elder beta says to Yeosang, seeing his eyelids fluttering. She pulls out a small juice box and hands it to him after patching up his arm where the needle just was, "Here, sip on this. You all are able to leave and go home once everyone is done."

Yeosang just nods as he takes the juice box, getting up and going back to where he was previously sitting, seeing Wooyoung already there waiting for him.

"How was it, Yeosangie?" Wooyoung asks, leaning his head against his arm that wasn't punctured by the needle.

"Mmm..." Yeosang replies in a sleepy groan, his mind easing as his nose is filled with the smell of jasmine. The scent that has always calmed him and made him feel at home.

"Don't tell me I'm going to have to carry you back to my house," Wooyoung gently rubs Yeosang's back, keeping his head against his arm.

Yeosang lays his head on Wooyoung's head, listening to his sweet voice. They'll still get to hang out and be with each other after they're mated, right? Yeosang's heart falters as he imagines a life without Wooyoung in it. He's not sure if he could handle a world without his best friend at his side. He thinks back to all the times they've held hands or cuddled in the same bed and his cheeks start to flush. Yeosang doesn't want to lose Wooyoung.

Yeosang really doesn't even want a mate... Well, that's a lie. He does want a mate, but... Yeosang gently grabs ahold of Wooyoung's hand as they wait for the other omegas to get finished.

The mate that he wants, he's just not able to have...

~

Wooyoung ended up having to lug Yeosang home himself from how tired he was.

"Geez, what have you been eating?" Wooyoung jokes as he's finally pulling Yeosang into his house and helps him into his room.

"Mmm, I eat just the right amount," Yeosang says sleepily, falling back onto Wooyoung's bed, looking up at him still standing with glazed-over eyes. He's not sure if it's from being so tired or what, but Wooyoung looks so incredibly handsome right now. 

Yeosang smiles up at him, "Hold me..." he whispers, his undeniable crush coming to the surface as he's drifting off.

Wooyoung's heart skips a beat as he's looking down at Yeosang, seeing how messily his shirt is lying just above his belly button to reveal his soft-looking lower stomach and how his hair splayed out as when his head hit the pillow. He looks absolutely ethereal laying there. So perfect.

He's brought back down to Earth when he hears what Yeosang whispers to him. His mind tells him not to comply, but his heart is begging him to lay down and hold his best friend in his arms and his wolf internally agrees.

Wooyoung's heart gets the better of him and he finds himself crawling onto the bed to lay down with Yeosang, taking him into his warm embrace. He lifts the blankets up over the two of them before resting his head over Yeosang's, his vanilla scent radiating off of him. He hasn't stirred much since he laid down with him, which makes Wooyoung think he's asleep.

Wooyoung softly rubs his hand up and down Yeosang's arm as he whispers to him, "I'm right here... I'm not going anywhere, Yeosangie."

Yeosang has long since been asleep, the warmth provided by Wooyoung's tiny body around his own put his already-tired self out quickly.

Wooyoung's eyes soften as he looks at Yeosang, gently caressing his soft cheek, thinking about how the two of them will soon be mated off to one of the alphas of their pack. Wooyoung has always wanted to be mated after seeing his own parents' happiness, but he got more and more concerned with it over time since he knew Riverside only allows alpha/omega and beta/beta mates.

It was when the two of them were entering adolescence when Wooyoung caught himself looking at Yeosang a bit differently than the other pack members, which is okay, he's his best friend after all... The problem was that Wooyoung began looking at Yeosang and wanted him to be his future mate. He had wanted Yeosang all to himself, and his wolf felt similarly, having become protective over him after being with him for so many years.

Wooyoung laughs at himself now when he thinks about the childish crush he had on Yeosang a while back, but sometimes, such as now, he looks at him and still feels those same feelings...

**End of Chapter Four**

\---------------------------------

Happy Valentines Day, my loves <3 I hope you're having a wonderful day!!! I also hope you enjoy this early update~! 

Regular Sunday updates should return next weekend.

What do you think about the opening for Woosang? :)


	6. Chapter Five

A few days later, there's another omega meeting. Yeosang is especially worried about this one because they will get their blood type results back, along with a list of the alphas that their type matched with.

Since mates are always together, Riverside decided that this new blood-typing part of the mating process would fit nicely if one person out of the couple were to get hurt, they would know that their mate is a perfect match. This was their thought-process when they were coming up with a new step.

Yeosang understood the whole process, having always been told about it from his mother and also from Wooyoung. Yeosang smiles when he thinks back to when Wooyoung was first telling him about mates and how excited he was for the future when he would get his own mate.

Growing up, Yeosang wasn't so sure about the whole mating process their pack went through. Yeosang couldn't understand why everyone couldn't just pick their own mates. He knows that deep down he only really wondered that because of his undeniable attraction to Wooyoung, his best friend. He's always looked up to him even though they're of the same age. Wooyoung has always been outspoken and full of confidence, all of the things that Yeosang knows he lacks. That's what started it all, admiration. The wanting to be like him. Who would've guessed that wanting to be like someone could lead to just wanting to be with that person? That the liking his attributes led to liking him as a whole, in a different way than he should.

Yeosang's excitement about getting a mate dwindled as he aged, understanding more and more about how he needs to rid himself of this crush he has on Wooyoung. Yeosang isn't even sure if he wants a mate anymore, knowing he won't be as happy as he could've been.

"Yeosang," Eunmi pokes her head into Yeosang's room, "Wooyoung came to go with you to the meeting tonight."

Yeosang looks up at the mention of Wooyoung's name, and wouldn't you know it... There he was, the happiest smile he's ever seen looking back at him. Yeosang immediately perks up from his previously questionable thoughts, but they still simmer in the back of his mind. Eunmi slides the door shut, leaving the two alone.

"Yeosangie~" Wooyoung starts, excitedly jumping onto Yeosang's bed with him, "Are you excited for tonight? Tonight is when we get our list of potentials! They're going to tell us about each of them, just as they're doing with the alphas."

Yeosang half-listens to what Wooyoung says, getting distracted by their scents of vanilla and jasmine mixing in the air around them. Yeosang's eyes are a bit glazed as he looks at Wooyoung, "Really?"

"Yes, really! It's all so exciting, isn't it?" Wooyoung continues, still in a happy tone, until he sees Yeosang's disinterest and then he frowns, "Is something wrong, Yeosangie?" He puts his palm to Yeosang's forehead, seeing if he feels warm.

Yeosang smiles and shakes his head, "I'm okay, and no I'm not sick," he says as he swats his hand away from his forehead.

"Good. otherwise, I would have to stay here and take care of you," Wooyoung laughs, laying back against the wall.

"Hey, I'm not so bad!" Yeosang retorts, "I never get sick, and even if I did I would get better instantly."

"Sure you would. From what _I_ remember, the last time you were sick you were stuck in bed for a week and couldn't come out to play!"

Yeosang sighs, "Wooyoung, that was about 5 years ago."

"My point still stands. I won't allow you to get sick like that again, okay?" Wooyoung looks into Yeosang's eyes, feeling a slight tug within his chest.

Yeosang nods, having to shy away from Wooyoung's prolonged eye contact.

"Do you think my potentials will like me...?" Wooyoung asks after a moment of silence between the two.

Yeosang sighs, it breaking his heart whenever Wooyoung worries someone won't like him, "Woo, you're incredible. There's no way they couldn't like someone like you. You're so kind and caring... So handsome and headstrong... So perfect."

Wooyoung's heart pounds when he hears how Yeosang describes him. Perfect?

"Ah, sorry. I'm serious, though, Wooyoung. You have nothing to worry about in whether or not your matches will like you. They most definitely will," Yeosang tries to sweep what he said under the rug, it feeling like he just swallowed a rock.

"What do you hope your matches are like?" Wooyoung asks suddenly, becoming curious of Yeosang's preference.

Yeosang looks down, nervously messing with his hands as he thinks. What does he hope his matches are like? He wants to laugh at himself, "I hope that they're someone that makes me want to be a better me, like you do."

Wooyoung smiles warmly when he looks at Yeosang, standing up from his bed, "I think you're the best already, Yeosangie. Come on, let's go see our matches," He says as he holds out a hand for Wooyoung to grab.

Yeosang nods, taking his hand to help him stand up, "R-Right!" He exclaims, feeling a bit embarrassed about what he had said to Wooyoung previously.

Wooyoung and Yeosang leave the house, making their way to the building where the omega meetings take place. The weather has gotten chilly recently, so Yeosang crosses his arms and sticks close to Wooyoung to stay warm as they walk.

"Uhm... Who do you hope you get matched with, Wooyoung?" Yeosang asks, wondering about his answer since he seemed so excited to see his list.

Wooyoung thinks for a moment as they walk, "Hmm... I think that anyone in our pack would be a good match, just like I had said the other night, but I would hope not with Lee Sunghee. I don't like the way he presents himself as he does. He thinks he's so high and mighty just because his father is the head alpha of the pack. Don't you remember how he would always boss us around when we were in our classes?"

Yeosang remembers back to their younger school days and he nods, "I remember him... He really didn't like me so much, did he?" Yeosang tries to laugh it off, but he won't forget how it seemed like he had some kind of vendetta against him.

"He would always single you out and pick on you the most. Ugh, I really don't like him."

Yeosang just nods and continues walking, starting to become afraid that Lee Sungwoo will be on _his_ list. That's the last thing he would want. He hasn't really thought about him much since those days, but it's hard to keep him fully out of his mind since he's always out and about. Yeosang tends to ignore him when he's out walking around the grounds.

"I bet you're going to get matched with Ha Dongwoo," Wooyoung says after a while of walking, his giggling making his warm breath able to be seen in the air, "He's always admired you."

Yeosang playfully shoves himself into Wooyoung, "He has _not!_ "

"Has too!" Wooyoung shoves back, a smile from ear to ear on his face, "I've noticed it since we were young. He always looked at you while he was sparring, it was almost like you were his good luck charm since he would always win. He always would stand up to Sungwoo with me when he would pick on you."

Yeosang scoffs and shakes his head, "Have you ever thought that maybe he was looking at you during the sparring, Woo?"

Wooyoung firmly shakes his head, "I know it was you. I mean, look at you," He pinches Yeosang's cheeks, making them turn even rosier than they already are from the cold, "You're the cutest little omega Riverside has, after all!"

Yeosang makes a pouty face and moves away from Wooyoung, tightening the cross he has on his arms, "Am not."

"Mhmmm..." Wooyoung pokes his sides, smirking, "Admit it, or else this time _you_ will be the one making a fool of yourself in front of everyone!"

Yeosang furrows his eyebrows when Wooyoung tries poking his sides, knowing that's a ticklish spot for him. He moves further away, seeing a family wearing white robes, "Wooyoung, come on..." He knows that they're from Chrysalis, so he's a bit embarrassed to be playing with Wooyoung like this.

Wooyoung wraps his arms around Yeosang as soon as they get to the front doors, keeping him in place as he tickles him, "Who's the cutest?"

Yeosang can't contain his laughter for long, soon he bursts out in tears from laughing so hard, "I-I am!" He concedes, hating being tickled.

Wooyoung stops and ruffles up Yeosang's hair, "I'm glad you're aware, then."

Yeosang sticks his tongue out at Wooyoung, but he straightens up when he sees Wooyoung open the door and enter without him, so he hurries behind him.

"Hey, don't leave me outside!"

Wooyoung chuckles, not turning around to look at his best friend. Instead, he goes and sits where they sat at their last meeting. All of the omegas being there already and waiting around for the elder beta to come in with the lists of all of their matches.

Yeosang trudges his way over to Wooyoung and sits down, still keeping that pouty look on his face. Wooyoung is already talking to one of the other omegas, which leaves Yeosang to his own thoughts while he waits. Ha Dongwoo was surely looking at Wooyoung back then, right?

Yeosang smiles to himself when he remembers how one time he and his mother were working in the bakery late trying to clean up when Dongwoo had come in asking if they were still open. They technically weren't, but they let him come in anyway...

~ Flashback

Yeosang is startled by a knock on the door of the bakery, standing up from behind the counter to see his classmate Ha Dongwoo standing on the other side of the glass. The boy shows a toothy smile and waves at Yeosang before pointing at the door handle.

Yeosang sees that he's asking if he could come in and he's not sure what to do, so he looks back in the back to see if he can see his mother, but he can't see her from his quick peek. Yeosang goes to the door, unlocking it and opening it to look up at Dongwoo, "Wow, it's cold out here..." He starts, surprised at the chill that hits him as soon as he opens the door.

Dongwoo chuckles and nods, "You don't have to say that twice, haha. I suppose you're not open, are you...? From the locked door and all," He jokes, his smile never leaving his face.

"Ah, no," Yeosang nervously looks around, "We just closed, actually... But what were you wanting? Maybe I could make it quickly for you," He thinks for a moment about how long most of their goods take and it shouldn't be too long.

"I was coming to get a small loaf of bread for my family. Really? I could help you!" Dongwoo says, his voice starting to chatter towards the end of his sentence.

Yeosang notices the chattering and his eyes widen, stepping back to let Dongwoo in from the cold, "Come in, come in, it's too cold out there."

Dongwoo crosses his arms for warmth and comes into the warm bakery, smelling all of the sweet scents wafting throughout.

"Mom!" Yeosang calls, "One of my classmates are here. Is it okay if I make something else really quick?" He asks, knowing that bread isn't particularly quick, but a small loaf shouldn't be too bad.

"That's fine, sweetie. I'll be out from the back in a little bit, okay? Don't cause too much trouble," Yeosang's mother Eunmi responds.

Dongwoo chuckles again when he hears Yeosang's mother from the back of the bakery, "Looks like we're on our own for this one."

Yeosang nods as he gets out all of the ingredients, "I'm the one who normally makes all of the bread loaves, anyway. Could you get me out one of the large bowls?" He points towards a cabinet while he puts all of the ingredients onto the wooden table.

Dongwoo does as Yeosang says and gets out the big mixing bowl, putting it beside the ingredients Yeosang laid out.

Yeosang immediately gets to work measuring and mixing all of the ingredients, noticing how Dongwoo won't take his eyes off of him. He eventually mixes everything and pushes the bowl over to Dongwoo, looking up at him, "Could you knead this with your hands? I can continue cleaning if you do."

"Of course," Dongwoo smiles and takes the dough out of the bowl, kneading it with his hands against the table. Yeosang smiles warmly as the boy begins to knead, starting to clean all of the dirty bowls and cups they had used that day. After a few minutes, Yeosang comes back to Dongwoo.

"Alright, that should be good for now," Yeosang says as he takes the dough from Dongwoo's hands, their fingers brushing against each other. Yeosang puts the dough into the bowl and covers it, "Now it has to rise... This will take the longest, but after that, it just has to bake and it's good to go!"

The tips of Dongwoo's ears redden as he feels Yeosang's fingers brush against his own, "I can help you clean now, Yeosang. I didn't know it was this much work to make just one loaf of bread, I feel bad for making you go through all of this when you were closed."

Yeosang looks over at Dongwoo and smiles, "It's really okay, Dongwoo. I don't mind at all, but yes, you can come help me."

Dongwoo comes over to Yeosang by the sink and begins washing and drying the bowls as a team with Yeosang.

Eunmi comes back up to the front and sees her son with one of the alphas in their pack, "Oh," she smiles, happy to see her baby around an alpha, "Hello. I'm Yeosang's mother, you can call me Eunmi."

Dongwoo turns to her and reaches out a hand, but he quickly takes it away since it's dripping with water from cleaning, "Ah, sorry... I'm Ha Dongwoo, Yeosang's classmate."

Eunmi giggles, finding his interaction endearing, "Oh, yes. I've heard Yeosang talk about you before," she notices how Dongwoo looks back over to her son and it warms her heart. Does this boy have a crush on her son?

Yeosang turns to them and is visibly embarrassed, "I have not..." He says, not wanting Dongwoo to start picking on him like Lee Sunghee does. He doesn't think that Dongwoo is like that, especially since he's always been one to defend him with Wooyoung, but he can't be completely sure. He's never really hung out with Dongwoo before, other than now.

"Honey, it's okay. Are you two making bread?" She asks as she sees the covered bowl with the dough rising inside of it, "It's looking about ready to be put in the oven."

Yeosang and Dongwoo nod at once, and when his mother says it looks risen enough, Yeosang goes over to check. It does look ready. He uncovers the dough and puts it into one of the bread molds and puts it into the oven, "It should only be twenty minutes or so... Sorry for keeping you here so late, Dongwoo."

Dongwoo shakes his head, a bright smile still on his face, "No, no, don't worry. I'm the one that came in so late for a loaf of your bread," He turns his attention towards Yeosang's mother Eunmi, "Mrs. Eunmi, I'm really sorry for disrupting your night. I said this to Yeosang a few minutes ago, but I didn't know it was such hard work to work in a bakery. I have great respect for you two. You're the ones everyone in the pack goes to for baked goods, after all."

Eunmi nods in respect to Dongwoo, "Thank you so much. I truly love what we do here and my little Yeosang is such a good baker, himself! It must run in our blood," She jokes, picking on her son.

Yeosang stays silent, his ears and cheeks turning rosy from the embarrassment. Really mom? Right in front of his classmate?

"He's amazing. I watched him whip up this bread so quickly, it was incredible," Dongwoo says, his words coming out like honey.

Eunmi has a knowing smile on her face and nods, "Well, I'm going to head back to the house. You two lock up when you're finished, okay?"

Yeosang nods, "I will, mom."

Dongwoo and Yeosang finish cleaning up the bowls and also around the whole bakery, making sure everything is neat. Yeosang is sitting on the counter and Dongwoo in a chair sitting at it.

"How professional of you," Dongwoo says, smirking.

Yeosang rubs his eyes sleepily, "Hey, listen... It's after hours, it's fine."

The alpha's heart beats faster as he looks at the sleepy omega on the counter, finding his sleepy face extremely cute, "If you say so."

_Ring ring ring_

The timer for the loaf of bread goes off and Yeosang quickly hops off from the counter and pulls out the bread, letting it cool for a bit and then he wraps it up. After preparing it, he turns around to give it to his classmate... Who is already standing up, right behind him with that same goofy smile on his face. How can someone be this cheerful at this hour of the night?

Dongwoo takes the loaf of bread from Yeosang, "Thank you so much, Yeosang. I guess we can finally go home, huh?" He looks out the window, it being pitch black outside, "I can walk you home."

"Ah, you don't need to do that..." Yeosang says shyly, rubbing the back of his head.

"No, no. I want to, I'd like to make sure you make it home safely."

Yeosang hums, nodding after some hesitation, "Okay," He agrees, turning off all of the lights still on in the bakery before he and Dongwoo exit.

A cold chill hits them instantly once they step outside and Yeosang crosses his arms close to his body to keep himself warm. Dongwoo glances over at Yeosang as they walk, "You don't live far, right?"

Yeosang shakes his head, he lives just a minute or so walk away from the bakery.

Dongwoo smiles, "Good, I would hate for you to get sick."

Yeosang doesn't know what to say, never having been in this type of situation before other than with his best friend Wooyoung. Wooyoung would probably thank Dongwoo for caring so much about Yeosang in the moment, so it makes Yeosang feel happy and at home with the alpha.

They get to the front of Yeosang's front door, "Th-Thank you for taking me home, Dongwoo. I hope you and your family enjoy the bread we made," He shivers as soon as he begins to speak.

"It's no problem at all, Yeosang. Thank you for staying open so late for me," Dongwoo chuckles and gently pats Yeosang's shoulder.

Yeosang shivers at Dongwoo's touch and he nods again, hating how awkward he knows he's being right now.

"Goodnight," Yeosang says quietly and then goes into his house, closing the door behind him and he takes a deep breath.

Dongwoo looks longingly at the door after Yeosang goes in, "Goodnight..." He shoves his free hand in his pocket and begins heading back to his house with the loaf of bread.

~ End of Flashback

Wooyoung waves his hand in front of Yeosang's face and Yeosang jumps up, being startled out of his daydream.

"Wake up, Yeosangie~ They have our match results," Wooyoung says excitedly, laying his head on Yeosang's shoulder and nuzzling into his neck.

"They do?" He looks up to the front and sees the elder beta coming in with a small box full of letters.

They do.

**End of Chapter Five**


	7. Chapter Six

"Kang Yeosang," The elder beta calls out as she pulls out an envelope with his name on it.

Yeosang's eyes widen as he hears his name be called out, it echoing throughout the room. Wooyoung lifts his head up from his shoulder and makes a shooing motion with his hands to tell Yeosang to get up from his seat and go get his envelope.

Yeosang unsteadily stands up, going to the front and he takes the letter, seeing how pretty his name is written on the letter. He notices how his hand shakes as he goes back to his seat, unable to stop staring at the letter. He wonders if the alphas that had his name written down in their letters were this scared about opening it. Who's going to be listed...? How many will be listed?

Wooyoung peeks over at Yeosang when he sees him start to open it, "What type are you? Who's written?" He asks, being nosy as usual.

"Jung Wooyoung," The elder beta calls out in the middle of Wooyoung's meddling.

"I'll wait for you, okay? We can open them together," Yeosang suggests, mostly just not wanting to actually see his results. He wonders what typing Wooyoung would be and thinks about how such a cruel joke it would be if they were the same typing.

Wooyoung goes up and retrieves his envelope quickly, coming back and sitting down, "Come on, it's time!" Wooyoung states happily, already digging into his letter.

Yeosang hums and finally unfolds his letter at the same time as Wooyoung...

_Name: Kang Yeosang_

_Blood type: O-negative_

_Alpha matches: Ha Dongwoo and Lee Sunghee_

Yeosang's eyes widen at the fact that he only has two matches and who they happen to be. Of course, Yeosang thinks. Yeosang's heartbeat is going a mile per minute as he just stares down at his results. He tries to calm himself down and looks over at Wooyoung who, surprisingly, has a similar surprised look on his face. Yeosang leans over and reads what's printed out on his paper...

_Name: Jung Wooyoung_

_Blood type: O-negative_

_Alpha matches: Ha Dongwoo and Lee Sunghee_

What?

They have the exact same results... How do they have the same results?! Yeosang moves his paper beside Wooyoung's so he's able to see it as well.

"That's just our luck, isn't it, Yeosangie?" Wooyoung asks almost in a joking manner, his voice noticeably less excited than before. He should've known it would turn out like this. Deep down he knew life would have to be cruel like this.

"Why do we only have two matches, Woo?"

Wooyoung sighs, "Our blood type must be of the minority among our pack and these two are the only ones our age that share it with us."

Yeosang nods slowly, "But... How will they pick who is whos match?" He asks, feeling nervous about one of them having to go through with being Lee Sunghee's match.

"You don't have to worry, Yeosangie," Wooyoung turns to him with a big smile on his face that Yeosang thinks looks forced, "I'll be Lee Sunghee's match, okay?"

Yeosang's eyes widen as he hears those words come out of his mouth. Wooyoung is going to be Sunghee's match? Do they just get to choose out of who is on the list?

"I'll tell them that he's the one I want. You write down Ha Dongwoo's name, okay, Yeosang? I know that he will pick you, so it's going to be a perfect match. It will definitely go through. I'm not sure which of us Sunghee will write down, but if I choose him and you choose Dongwoo, then they will assign him with me."

Wooyoung seems like he's thought about this situation they've found themselves in and Yeosang is overwhelmed by everything Wooyoung just said to him. This is all too much.

"Wooyoung..." Yeosang starts, but Wooyoung is still mumbling all of his thoughts.

"It's going to be okay, okay, Yeosang?" Wooyoung suddenly takes ahold of Yeosang's hand, gently stroking it in hopes of calming him and himself down.

Yeosang's eyes can't help but well up with tears with how Wooyoung is talking it him, it's like he's giving his life away. There's a hidden sense of hurt behind Wooyoung's words and it breaks Yeosang's heart to hear his best friend speak like this.

"Wooyoung, st-stop..." Yeosang says as he squeezes his hand, "Just--" He stops mid-sentence. He was going to say for him to choose Dongwoo too, but he knows that one of them is inevitably going to end up being assigned to Sunghee. He's realizing that Wooyoung basically is giving his life away. He's giving it to Yeosang.

"Can we go home now...?" Yeosang asks in a small voice and Wooyoung shakes his head.

"We must write down our choice from our list and then we can leave," Wooyoung replies, grabbing a pencil from the table they're sitting at and Yeosang sees how Wooyoung writes down _Lee Sunghee_ onto his piece of paper.

Yeosang nods again, taking Wooyoung's pencil after he's finished writing and he writes down _Ha Dongwoo_ on his paper and folds it back up, putting it back into the envelope.

Wooyoung is already getting up from his seat as Yeosang finishes, gently putting his hand on his shoulder and as Yeosang stands, he trails it down to hold his hand, "We can go home now," He smiles, "You're staying over right?"

Yeosang feels a bit of whiplash at Wooyoung's sudden mood swings. He was so excited about finding out who his matches were, then he was extremely serious and sullen when he did see them, and now he's back to himself...? Is this right? Yeosang just nods along, holding onto Wooyoung's hand tightly as he leaves the building with him.

The cold air hits them as soon as they leave, "Why is it always so damn cold around here?" Wooyoung curses, lightly pulling on Yeosang's hand to bring his body closer to him as they walk back to his house.

"It's almost winter, Woo... Of course it's going to be cold out," Yeosang says in a quiet voice, his mind flooded by everything that just happened and his heart is racing at every thought.

They walk the rest of the way in an understanding silence, entering Wooyoung's home to see his mother Soomin waiting for them.

"Welcome back! How was it? Are you two happy with your matches?" Wooyoung's mother asks happily, having been excited about her baby finding his mate. Yeosang is basically like a son to her as well, so she's always wondered about his mate too.

"It was great, mom," Wooyoung shows her a smile matching her own and gives her a big hug, "We got wonderful matches, didn't we, Yeosangie?" Wooyoung turns his head around to look at his best friend, a knowing look in his eyes.

Yeosang nods, "We did."

"And the next meeting is when the alpha chosen for you from your picks comes and meets you," Soomin says excitedly, "You two will have to bring your mates here afterward! I would love to meet them."

"Of course, mom... Now, Yeosang and I are going to hit the hay. The cold weather has us worn out," Wooyoung yawns dramatically, going back over to Yeosang and resting his head on his shoulder while he holds onto his arm.

"Goodnight, boys. Sleep well," She ends, going back to the kitchen to clean up some dishes before heading to bed.

Wooyoung drags Yeosang back to his room and they both fall back on the bed, looking up at Wooyoung's ceiling.

"N-Next meeting is when we meet our match?" Yeosang asks nervously.

"Mhm..." Wooyoung hums, turning his head to look at him. The moonlight from his window is shining down on Yeosang, illuminating his face, and it's making Wooyoung's chest ache. He can't help but think about how smooth and soft his skin looks, how his beautiful brown eyes shine under the light. He looks absolutely radiant laying there with him.

Yeosang senses Wooyoung looking at him, so he turns his head to meet his deep brown eyes. It hurts him to know how dirty the world truly had done him. Their blood types _were_ a match. Yeosang's eyes go soft as he continues gazing into his long-time crush's eyes. He's not sure if his undeniable attraction to Wooyoung will ever go away, but he knows that cannot be thinking of someone else like he is when he is mated.

That's the worst possible offense.

Yeosang feels the nervousness rising in his chest as he catches his eyes drifting down to Wooyoung's lips. He knows he will never have another chance in his whole life to do the one thing he's always wanted to, but he's too scared. His body is frozen. He tries to move his hand up to caress Wooyoung's face, but it won't move.

Wooyoung smiles genuinely as he studies Yeosang's face, feeling his own cheeks warming up as they lie there in silence. He's never been one for silence, though, so he decides to break it, "Why have you always been so apprehensive about a mate, Yeosangie...?" He asks as he grabs ahold of his hand.

Wooyoung's words and hand touching his seems to break Yeosang out of his frozen state, his eyes widening at the question. Why? Yeosang sighs, "I..." He starts, but closes his mouth again, afraid of admitting his feelings. Why is he so afraid? Why can't he be confident like Wooyoung is...? Wooyoung has always been able to say what he wanted to. Yeosang's eyes flash with sadness, knowing he won't be able to get out the words.

Wooyoung hushes the boy, hoping to calm him as he does what Yeosang had wanted to do to him and caresses his face. Wooyoung gently strokes his soft skin, willing him to look back into his eyes, "Please tell me, Yeosang. I-I have to know," He struggles to get out.

Yeosang's eyes water as his fear overtakes him, a tear streaming down his cheek and stopping where Wooyoung is caressing him. Why can't he do it? Yeosang curses himself internally, trying to push his feelings deep down. He can't take looking at him any longer and has to turn away, completely turning over in the bed, "I'm t-tired..."

When Yeosang turns away from him, Wooyoung retracts his hand back and feels a pang to his heart.

Of course, he was wrong...

Wooyoung rests his hands on his own chest, going back to staring up at the ceiling.

Is this really the end?

**End of Chapter Six**

\-----------------------------

Wbk it's not the end, but it is for Woosang for now ~

Who do you think will be the next couple focused on? 

There's kinda only two more for it to potentially be and I can already feel everyone going to the tags to see the ships tagged, BUT... Still... 

**ALSO!!!** Would you guys like a separate chapter that includes family relations and such? I know I've made a lot of characters and it can be overwhelming to remember all of them...


	8. Chapter Seven

_"Everything seemed alright at Riverside. Their big omega/alpha mating ceremony seemed to be going on while we were there," Seonghwa's father Gyungho says to Hyejin._

_Hyejin nods, "It was nice stopping by and seeing that. I enjoyed how we got to meet some of the alphas being matched up since one of them was Jinhee's son," She says, mentioning Sunghee._

_"Mmm... I never liked that man much. I hope his son turned out okay having a father like that," Gyungho jokes._

_"So, we're off to Nightshade now?" Hyejin looks up at her husband, "They're always so hostile," She sighs, never having liked going there as much as some of the other packs._

_"Ah, yes. I heard that recently there's been fighting among some of the top alphas there for who will be the next, so I'm sure it'll be even more... unpleasant."_

All of the alphas stood gathered around as they watched the two wolves sparring, taking each other on a lot more aggressively than any of the others had.

The wolf with the mix of dark and light brown fur sprung at the one with dark brown fur that almost looked auburn. He growled loudly, pouncing on top of the other wolf, tackling him to the ground. The two rolled around on the ground, neither one of them seemed to be able to get a leg up on the other. They were too well matched and they hated it.

They growled louder and showed their teeth as they continued their attacks. It almost looked as if they were about to kill each other.

"Enough," Stated the head alpha of Nightshade, Nam Daesung.

The two wolves seized once they heard their leader's voice and they backed away from one another, glaring intensely.

"If you keep fighting so recklessly, then you both would die in a real fight. In a _real_ fight, sometimes it's not just one on one. Neither of you would've even noticed if another wolf came up and tried to ambush you. You two were so focused on beating each other," The leader explains as he shakes his head, getting up from his seat slowly.

Everyone in the room is still able to hear the quiet growls from the two alphas being scolded. They're always like this. Ever since the head alpha's age became more prominent and his health wasn't looking as good, they knew one of the alphas under his wing would have to take over. The two wolves that were at each other's necks just a second ago? They seem to want the spot the most. Jongho and Hongjoong have been fighting to show their strength for months now, their hatred toward each other evident - especially in situations such as this.

"Tsk..." the head alpha walked down to the two wolves, "Shift and go to the sauna with the others. Maybe it'll release some of that pent up anger you two always seem to have," he almost teases, his eyes squinting and a cocky smirk on his face. He knows that these are the two that want the position most, so he might as well have some fun with it.

The wolf with the mix of dark and light brown fur shifted first, standing up straight with his shoulders back, his eyebrows furrowed as he continues to glare at the other.

"Didn't you hear him, Hongjoong? Shift," Jongho taunts, his smirk never leaving his face as he makes eye contact with his rival.

The wolf with dark brownish auburn fur snarled at Jongho, his eyes fierce as he stares him down. He eventually shifts, standing just as confidently as his opponent. Hongjoong scoffs at Jongho, turning around and walking toward the sauna with the other alpha. God, he cannot stand that guy, Hongjoong thinks as he shakes his head.

Jongho chuckles to himself as Hongjoong walks off with the others, following them soon after.

Hongjoong has his eyes closed and his head back against the wall as he relaxes in the sauna. The door opens and he opens one eye to see who came in and his eyes narrow when he sees that it's Jongho. Great.

Jongho smirks and comes and sits next to Hongjoong, knowing it will annoy him, "I was going easy on you."

Hongjoong hums, keeping his eyes closed, not wanting to interact with his rival longer than he has to. The sauna is supposed to be where they can relax and de-stress from the sparring they've done all day, but Jongho always has to come and interrupt his peace of mind. He turns his nose up at him, despising his overwhelming scent of cinnamon.

"It's going to be me, you know," Jongho leans back against the wall, "And I hope everyone here knows that, you hear me?" Jongho says cooly, taking a deep breath as the heat from the sauna takes over his body, relaxing his muscles.

The other alphas all groan and roll their eyes. They're sick and tired of hearing this spiel after every spar. After a few more minutes in the sauna, the majority of the alphas get up and leave, heading back to their homes since they're finished training for the day.

That leaves Jongho and Hongjoong.

"Are you ashamed?" Jongho asks once the others are gone.

Hongjoong lifts his head and looks at Jongho, annoyance clear on his face, "Ashamed of what?"

"That Daesung is going to choose me as his successor instead of you, of course."

Hongjoong lets out a laugh, "You really think you're better than me, don't you, Jongho?"

Jongho smirks and nods self-assuredly, "I don't think. I know."

"I'm starting to believe you. You _don't_ think," Hongjoong smiles at his own joke, "We're evenly matched and Daesung knows it. I don't care how many times you say that you were going 'easy' on me or whatever, but I know you're trying as hard as you can. You just can't win, Jongho. And that _kills_ you, I just know it."

"You don't know anything about me, Hongjoong."

"What makes you think you could be a good leader?" Hongjoong asks, genuinely curious as to why he thinks he has a chance at becoming the head alpha over him.

Jongho watches intently as Hongjoong gets up from his seat and stretches while asking him that, "Because I know I can become the most powerful alpha Nightshade has ever seen."

"We both have the potential, Jongho, but only one of us will come out on top and I want you to know that it's going to be me," Hongjoong states, always having wanted to be the leader over Nightshade once Daesung stepped down. His mother and father always thought he would make a great leader.

Jongho stands up to square up against Hongjoong, getting quite close to him as he stares daggers into his deep brown eyes, "I don't think you heard me correctly when I said that it was going to be me," He said angrily, his wolf internally growling and making his anger become more prominent.

Jongho shoves Hongjoong, but he barely moves. Hongjoong's wolf snarls when Jongho pushes him, immediately turning on him and shoving him back, however, Jongho is just as much of a statue as Hongjoong.

"Don't fucking touch me," Jongho growls aloud, grabbing onto his arm tightly and brings him down to the floor of the sauna, but Hongjoong is quick and takes out Jongho's leg, bringing him down with him.

Hongjoong and Jongho are rolling around on the floor, their towels slipping from their lower body, "Get the fuck off of me, Jongho. I won't hesitate to shift, dammit."

"Such big talk for a weak alpha such as yourself," Jongho sneers, his wolf begging him to shift so he can tear him apart.

Meanwhile, Daesung is cleaning the sparring room up when he hears some loud noises and yelling coming from the sauna room. He opens the door and finds Hongjoong and Jongho at each other's throats on the ground, "What is going on here?" He asks in a dark voice.

Hongjoong and Jongho both still when they hear the sauna door open and look up to see their alpha Daesung. Shit. They both separate from each other, but their lingering glares don't go unnoticed by Daesung. He knows he's going to have to do something about this situation before long.

"I'm getting sick and tired of the two of you fighting so much. Neither one of you is going to become the leader if you continue to act in such a way. I won't allow Nightshade to have a leader as reckless as you two, so you better straighten up or forget about ever becoming leader. I mean it," Daesung says firmly, asserting his overbearing dominance over the two younger men.

Hongjoong and Jongho both nod in understanding, still on the floor.

"Get up. Never stay down," Daesung continues, "The Park family of Chrysalis will be arriving any time now and I won't let them look down on us for our brutality as always. You two especially better be on your _best_ behavior."

Hongjoong and Jongho nod once again, standing up straight to face their head alpha, "Yes, sir," they both say in unison.

"Good. Now leave, get ready for tonight," Daesung says before walking out of the sauna room.

Hongjoong turns to look at Jongho when Daesung finally leaves, his eyes dark and narrow, "You got us in trouble, you dumbass. Why do you always do this?"

"It was just as much my fault as it was yours," Jongho laughs, smirking at his rival.

Hongjoong just shakes his head angrily, grabbing ahold of his towel around his waist so it doesn't fall down on his hips further and he leaves the sauna.

Jongho sits back down and revels in the relaxing heat of the sauna without Hongjoong's sickening ginger scent flooding the air for a few more minutes before eventually leaving and heading back to his home.

~

Hongjoong walks out with both of his parents, walking to the center of the Nightshade grounds to greet the Park family when they arrive. His father is asking him how sparring practice went today and Hongjoong's about to answer, but then he sees Jongho walking up with his mother. His face instantly turns darker, just seeing the man makes his entire body flare up.

"Son? How'd it go?" His father tries again, bringing Hongjoong's anger back down.

He looks over to his father, trying to forget about Jongho, "It went well, father, but Jongho and I tied again..." He explains, hating that he has to always say how he and Jongho always tie.

"You'll be able to defeat him soon, Hongjoong. Your mother and I know that you'll be the one that Daesung chooses in the end," He reassures his son, patting his shoulder proudly, "We are very proud of you."

Hongjoong smiles happily when he hears his father say that to him, it sets him at ease to know how much they believe in him. He just has to beat... him. Hongjoong thinks as he glares back over at Jongho, but his face goes back down when he sees how cheerful he looks while talking to his mother. He finds his eyes softening at the scene, but he quickly turns away when he sees the Park family entering the Nightshade grounds.

Everyone bows toward them as they enter and they do the same, Daesung going up to greet them all. Daesung and the head of the Park family, Gyungho, chat for a while and Hongjoong thinks he hears him say how he and his sons can come to watch sparring practice in the morning before they go. This must've been what Daesung meant by him and Jongho staying on their best behavior.

Hongjoong vows to try and not fight as roughly as he always does with Jongho, but he knows he might not be able to keep that promise to himself. Jongho always sets him off.

Jongho looks at his mother and smiles -- she's always been really excited whenever the Park family comes to visit. His mother and Hyejin were good friends back when they were younger and his mother's family would be at Chrysalis frequently. After father passed away a few years ago, his mother would tell him stories of her childhood. Jongho loved hearing his mother talk about it because it seemed to always brighten up her mood.

"Mom, I wonder if you and Hyejin will be able to spend some time together this time," Jongho mentions, seeing his mother's smile at seeing her old friend.

"We might be able to, but I don't know, sweetie. They're here for a reason, it's no time to play," Youngmi answers her son, bringing him close to her into an embrace, "Come on, honey. You have to wake up bright and early tomorrow for sparring, don't you?" She asks, turning to leave but her eyes catch Hyejin's and she offers her a soft smile. Hyejin sees her and gives her a small nod, but she turns her head back to her family.

Youngmi lets out a breath and rubs her son's head, "You're going to be a very powerful alpha once you finally grow up," She jokes.

"I am already a very powerful alpha, just like father was. I promise you, I'll become the leader and show you that I'm not just a child anymore," Jongho says as they walk.

"Hmm... Well, Daesung was telling me how you keep getting into fights with the Kim's son Hongjoong. That's quite childish, isn't it, Jongho?"

Jongho frowns at the mention of Hongjoong, "He's just... So infuriating, mother. I hate him, I really do. He thinks he's so much better than me when he knows I'm the one that's going to get the position."

"Ah, if you continue thinking like that and fighting as you are, I'm afraid neither of you will get chosen. Daesung doesn't want someone that fights with other members of the pack, you know... I know it's around that time for you and all, but I didn't raise you to be fighting like this, now did I?" She ruffles Jongho's hair.

"No, mother..." Jongho answers, his mother's words calming him down from being riled up thinking about Hongjoong. He knows he shouldn't continue fighting with Hongjoong like he does, but there's just something about him... He can't put his finger on it. Every time he sees the man, his heart rate increases and he can only assume it's rage.

**End of Chapter Seven**


	9. Family Relationships

**Family Relationships**

**Seonghwa's family**

Mother: Park Hyejin

Father: Park Gyungho

Brother: Park Dohyon

Sister: Park Areum  
  


**San's family**

_Not mentioned yet_

**Yeosang's family**

Mother: Kang Eunmi ~ Job: Baker

Father: _Name not mentioned yet_

Assigned match: Ha Dongwoo

**Wooyoung's family**

Mother: Jung Soomin

Father: _Name not mentioned yet_

Assigned match: Lee Sunghee

 **Lee Sunghee's father** : Lee Jinhee

**Jongho's family**

Mother: Choi Youngmi

Father: DECEASED

**Hongjoong's family**

Mother: _Name not mentioned yet_

Father: _Name not mentioned yet_

**Nightshade's head alpha**

Name: Nam Daesung

**Mingi's family**

Mother: Song Haseul

Father: Song Minseok

**Yunho's family**

Mother: DECEASED

Father: Jeong Kangmin

Friend: Kyelin

**OTHER**

Jongho's mother (Youngmi) and Seonghwa's mother (Hyejin) = mentioned being childhood friends

**Pack Name Refresher**

**Hongjoong** : Nightshade

 **Seonghwa** : Chrysalis

 **Yunho** : Essence

 **Yeosang** : Riverside

 **San** : Eclipse

 **Mingi** : Bloodbane

 **Wooyoung** : Riverside

 **Jongho** : Nightshade

I know that Mingi and Yunho's arc hasn't been released yet and Jongho and Hongjoong's have just started releasing, but I added them anyway. I hope that this will help you all while reading or to help remember when their names are mentioned. I try to mention them along with the ATEEZ member they're related to to make it easier. Thank you all so much for reading my story. I hope you continue to enjoy it.


	10. Chapter Eight

The next morning, Hongjoong wakes up bright and early to take a shower before heading to sparring practice. After his shower, he dresses himself and makes his way to the sparring room, his hair still wet.

Hongjoong tries to shake his hair out a bit and Jongho scoffs from behind him, "Dude, what the fuck?" He pushes him from behind, "You got water all over me. Ugh, gross..." Jongho curses and pushes past him to go into the room, brushing his arms off. The water from Hongjoong's hair stays on him, making him smell slightly like ginger and it makes a disgusted look appear on his face.

"Not today, Jongho," Hongjoong says when he walks past him, looking at him as he goes in. He shakes his head angrily and walks in right behind Jongho. He can't be doing this today. Not with the Park's watching over this practice.

Daesung has all the alphas line up next to their sparring partner, so that means Hongjoong and Jongho are beside each other — trying very hard to keep their comments about one another to themselves. Beside Daesung, stands Park Gyungho and his two sons Dohyon and Seonghwa.

Jongho feels a deep aching in his lower stomach at the sight of Seonghwa, finding him immensely attractive at this moment. The Park's omega. Jongho whips his head away, back to Hongjoong and focuses his attention on him instead. This has to go away soon, he really needs to talk to his mother about this.

"This is Park Gyungho and his two sons, as I'm sure you all know. I invited them to see how promising you young alphas are," Daesung states, and all of the alphas nod and bow in respect toward the Park family.

"It's an honor to view your all's sparring practice this morning. Let's see how our most powerful pack is coming along, shall we?" Gyungho says, motioning his hand toward the first pair he sees.

Hongjoong and Jongho, of course.

Daesung gives the two boys a knowing look before they walked to the middle of the room. Their eyes are incredibly intense as they look at one another, each going to one side so they'll be equal distance apart when they shift. Hongjoong takes a deep breath before they both shift into their wolves, their robes pooling on the floor below them.

"Spar," Daesung says. Their cue to begin.

The two large wolves lunge at each other immediately after hearing the phrase, already at each other's throats as usual, but they keep it clean. They don't spar as dirty as they normally do... yet.

Hongjoong wrestles Jongho to the ground after a bit, but Jongho quickly turns the tables once again. Just like always, they're neck and neck. Jongho gets angrier and angrier as he realizes it's going to turn into another tie. Jongho knows he's in the midst of his rut and his mother had given him suppressants for it, but the aggressiveness is still coming through strong/ His eyes narrow. He needs to show everyone how powerful he can really be.

Jongho uses all of his force and grabs Hongjoong by his neck with his teeth. Hongjoong's eyes widen as he realizes what Jongho is about to do. It's against the rules. He's not quick enough and isn't sure how to counter this attack within the rules, so Jongho flings Hongjoong across the room. Hongjoong feels the impact as his body hits the floor of the room and he's overcome by his own rage and charges back to Jongho quickly.

Fuck the rules.

Hongjoong jumps onto Jongho, slamming him into the floor as the two of them destroy each other.

"Enough."

They're too distracted to hear their head alpha demand them to stop, continuing to rip one another apart. Their faces are bleeding and their bodies aren't in much better shape.

"ENOUGH," Daesung yells in the darkest voice the two of them have ever heard.

This gets them to freeze, falling away from each other, realizing what they've just done in front of their guests. They both keep their heads down in shame as they stand up to face their alpha.

"Leave. Now. I'll talk to you two after practice," Daesung says, trying to keep his voice calm in front of the Park family.

Hongjoong and Jongho both nod and shift back into their human bodies. Their bodies are completely bruised up and their faces are slashed open, dripping with blood. They turn around and pick up their robes before going to the back into the sauna in silence.

Hongjoong cleans the blood coming down his face in the mirror of the sauna room. He can't believe he just did that. He promised himself he wouldn't let Jongho get to him again, but he couldn't... He grits his teeth together and slams his fist into the counter, "Dammit... Why couldn't you just cool it for one day, Jongho?" Hongjoong asks in a demanding voice, not even turning around to look at him.

Jongho clenches his fists angrily when he hears Hongjoong's words and sits down on the bench. He doesn't know why he snapped like he did back there. His fingernails dig into his palms because he knows he's only lying to himself. He knows why he did it. He wanted to beat Hongjoong for once and he still couldn't. They still came out as equals.

"I'm so fucking tired of you..." Jongho admits, "I hate that we're of the same strength and I wanted to show off just how powerful I am."

Hongjoong scoffs at his honesty and shakes his head, turning around and looking at his rival, "And now you've gotten us both in trouble. And! We're both fucked physically, so thanks. He's not going to let us spar for at least a week with _these_ bruises," Hongjoong crosses his arms over his reddish bruised chest, some blood still leaking out of the wounds on his face even after cleaning them.

"I know I fucked up, okay? I _know_ , Hongjoong," Jongho curses at himself once again.

"Your face is covered in your own blood," Hongjoong says, a low chuckle coming from his mouth.

Jongho hums and gets up, going over to the counter where Hongjoong is to see how red his face is.

From the blood, of course.

Jongho glances over at Hongjoong with narrowing eyes, "You really messed me up, huh?" He turns on the faucet and begins to splash water on his face, the sink becoming covered in red.

"Not as bad as you messed _me_ up," Hongjoong stretches his arms up, his back cracking as he stretches. He winces at the pain from the bruises all over his body when he stretches, his muscles feeling like they're tearing apart.

Jongho chuckles, going and sitting beside Hongjoong after he finishes cleaning off his face, the slashes being more visible now that it's clean.

They sit there relaxing in silence for a while. This must be the longest time they've ever sat in silence with one another without saying something hateful. It must be because they both know how badly they messed up out there in front of everyone. They know they're going to get it... And here it is.

Daesung opens the door to the sauna rather aggressively and sees the two reckless idiots just sitting there, "Get up."

Hongjoong and Jongho startle when the sauna door opens up, immediately standing up at Daesung's demands.

Daesung just laughs at them when he goes up, inspecting their bodies and faces, "Seems you two did a number on each other, huh?" Daesung's voice goes dark, the laughter disappearing, "Right in front of Park Gyungho and his sons, at that..."

Hongjoong and Jongho stiffly bow towards their head alpha, showing how apologetic they are.

"Kim Hongjoong, Choi Jongho. This is the final straw. You two are going to stop this damned fighting once and for all, and I know just the way to get you two to try and find peace with one another," Daesung continues, a slightly evil smile coming across his face, "I won't let you cause any more trouble while the Park family is here, so you two are staying here in the training building for the night."

Jongho stands up straight with a surprised look on his face, his eyes wide, "Daesung--" He starts, but is interrupted.

"If I come by tomorrow and you two are still at each other's throats, you'll stay another day, and another day. You get the gist, right, boys?" Daesung crosses his arms, with a straight look on his face to show them just how serious he is.

Hongjoong's mouth was hanging open, not knowing what to say at the situation they've found themselves in because of their actions.

Daesung gets closer to the two boys, pointing his finger at both of their chests, "And if I find out either of you leaves this building... There will be _no_ chance for you to acquire my position."

Hongjoong and Jongho stand their speechless for a few moments before they eventually nod, showing that they understand.

"Speak."

"I understand," they say in unison.

Daesung looks the boys up and down before slamming the sauna door back shut and leaving the training building with all of the other alphas.

Jongho tries to contain his anger over having to stay here with Hongjoong, going and sitting back down to try and cool himself down. He takes a few slow deep breaths, but Hongjoong's ginger scent keeps invading his nostrils, "Can you leave?" Jongho asks in an irritated tone of voice.

Hongjoong rubs the back of his head, having a massive headache from the fight, "Leave? I'm trying to relax here too, you know."

"You stink," Jongho growls.

"That's literally impossible. I showered just this morning. Don't you remember the whole incident before we came in?" Hongjoong sits down across from Jongho, glancing over at him as he speaks.

"Ugh, your scent. It's horrible," Jongho lies, just wanting to get him out of the sauna.

Hongjoong smirks, "I've never heard someone say that about my scent before. People usually quite like it," He boasts, crossing his arms and legs and resting back against the wall, closing his eyes, "You'll have to get over it if we have to spend a whole night together."

"Don't remind me," Jongho mutters as he gets up, having to leave to get away from Hongjoong before he gets riled up again, "I'll leave, then."

Hongjoong watches as Jongho gets up, grabbing ahold of his towel around his waist so it doesn't fall, then he leaves the sauna room leaving Hongjoong all by himself. He prefers it this way. He can finally have some peace. He does wonder, however, why _do_ they fight so hard against each other? Of course, they're rivals in becoming the head alpha over Nightshade, but sometimes the fighting just seems excessive -- especially recently.

Jongho leaves and goes down the hallway where the various rooms are, going into one of the resting rooms and dressing himself. Why are his suppressants so damn weak? He's going to have to tell his mother to get stronger ones. It must be because he's getting older and stronger -- that's what his mother was telling him when she noticed the signs of him going into his rut. He's been a lot more on-edge and then will suddenly flip and be laying on the couch with his mother watching a film.

Jongho sits down on the mattress and puts his head into his hands as he tries to level his breathing, wishing he could go home. Does he _really_ have to become friends with Hongjoong? Why can't Daesung just understand why they're fighting so hard for this? Jongho sighs and lays back, staring up at the ceiling.

A few minutes later, Jongho is startled when the door to the resting room he's in opens, peeking one of his eyes open to see Hongjoong coming in with still just his towel around his hips. Jongho's wolf perks up as he gazes at the water -- or maybe it's sweat -- dripping down Hongjoong's chest.

Jongho furrows his brow and shakes his head. What the hell? He internally curses at his wolf for letting even one of those thoughts enter his mind.

"Ah, sorry. I didn't know you were in this room," Hongjoong says, going to turn around and leave the room, but he's stopped by Jongho's sudden words.

"It's fine. This is the only room with beds, you know... This is probably another reason Daesung is making us stay here. For bonding time, or whatever," Jongho groans, turning on his side so he doesn't have to look at his rival.

Hongjoong hums, one hand holding up his towel as he goes to the other side of the room where there's another bed and he changes into his casual clothing, "Yeah... So, do you think he will let us leave in the morning?" He asks as he lowers himself down onto the mattress, glad to be resting his beaten-up body on a nice bed.

Jongho chokes out a laugh, "Oh hell no, we will be here at least two. He wouldn't believe us after just one night, but we can still fake like we're buds in the morning."

"I'm a pretty good actor, so I think we could get out of it early."

Jongho pulls the covers up to his chin, "Yeah, yeah... We'll see about that."

**End of Chapter Eight**


	11. Chapter Nine

It turns out Hongjoong wasn't as good of an actor as he made it out to seem last night. He couldn't keep his composure when Jongho shoved him when they accidentally brushed against each other to meet with Daesung. Where Jongho had put his hands when he shoved him was where one of his major bruises were, so it hurt like a bitch.

Daesung locked them back up in the training building and said he would see them again tomorrow to see if things were different.

They weren't.

Hongjoong fell back onto the bed in the resting room, hating how they're still not able to leave. He's sick and tired of being with Jongho and he's been acting kind of strange lately... He keeps bumping into him and looking at him with soft eyes all apologetically, but then he gets angry and shoves him back. He needs to get it together, Hongjoong thinks.

During nighttime hours, he keeps thinking he hears him whimpering in his bed from across the room. Hongjoong has been wanting to ask him about it, but he doesn't know how to confront him. He's starting to get worried about him, afraid he might be homesick or have bad nightmares or something similar.

Why is Hongjoong getting so worried about Jongho, anyway?

Hongjoong brushes off his worry for him with a shrug of disgust. Cooping them up together in this place like this for so long must be screwing with their heads or something. 

Jongho has been trying to shove his wolf down the past few days, his wolf craving for affection from someone and with Hongjoong staying with him... That leaves him to be the only person his wolf can crave contact from. Jongho feels himself coming out of his rut though, and he's so thankful. He doesn't know how much longer he could deal with wanting affection from Hongjoong and he has restrained himself as much as he can from acting on those feelings that seem so strong.

Jongho prays that Hongjoong hasn't heard his whimpering at night, knowing it's his wolf begging for someone to hold or someone to hold him. He despises this feeling he gets, knowing he only wants to show his rare affection for his future mate.

That night, Hongjoong and Jongho are both in their respective beds trying to fall asleep when Hongjoong hears the whimpering noises coming from Jongho's bed again.

What is going on...? Is he okay?

Hongjoong can't help but feel worried. He finds himself sitting up and going over to Jongho's bed to check on him, "Hey, Jongho... Is everything alright? You sound upse--" Hongjoong is interrupted when he is pulled into a warm and tight embrace, being taken into a strong wave of cinnamon.

Jongho's wolf takes over his senses and while he's in this state, but Jongho himself doesn't mind either. He wraps his arms around Hongjoong, bringing him down to sit on the bed with him. He rests his head on his shoulder and inhales his gingery scent, his wolf purring at his rival's aroma.

"Jongho, what are you doing?" Hongjoong asks in a quiet yelling-like voice, his eyes wide from shock at the current situation. He hears Jongho's whimpering stop the longer they embrace, Hongjoong slowly wrapping his arms around to hold him too. Jongho's cinnamon scent mixes with Hongjoong's ginger scent and it fills the room as the two of them just sit there holding each other.

"I needed this..." Jongho whispers, slightly pulling back to look up into Hongjoong's eyes, the light in the room barely making it hard for Jongho to make out his features like usual. Jongho's wolf is pleased that it's finally receiving the sense of touch it's been longing for the past few days.

Hongjoong is speechless. His wolf likes the contact he's receiving, never having been held in such a way before. This is definitely a first for him and he can't say he doesn't like the way it's making him feel. He feels like this is something he could get used to if it were to continue happening.

Hongjoong's mind clouds with the happiness of feeling held, gently rubbing Jongho's back to comfort him.

"S-Sleep with me tonight?" Jongho asks while still gazing into his rival's eyes, his wolf internally pushing for this. Jongho _has_ been looking at Hongjoong a bit differently recently... This forced proximity most definitely did not do anything to help him, along with his rut.

This was set up to be a disaster.

Hongjoong's cheeks heat up at the sudden request, his heart pounding faster and faster. He's not sure what to think, nor does he know what he should do in this situation.

Sleep with him?

He knows his own scent is getting stronger from how conflicted his heart is. His wolf is saying yes, but he is saying... He's unsure. An alpha getting affection from another alpha? Nightshade doesn't frown upon this sort of relationship, but it's not a very common one. He knows many of the packs surrounding them such as Riverside and their most royal pack line, Chrysalis, do not approve of these sorts of relationships... Those two packs even go as far as to say that it's forbidden.

Hongjoong had never thought too much about the fact of whether or not his partner was an omega, beta, or an alpha. He always assumed he would just end up with whomever he was to fall for. He always was going to just go with his heart and what it was telling him to do, for he knew his instincts would lead him in the right direction.

And now...

Jongho nuzzles his nose into Hongjoong's neck, breathing in his warm ginger scent. He feels Hongjoong's hesitation and slight pulling back, so he brings his face back up to press their foreheads together, delicately running his fingertips along Hongjoong's cheekbones, admiring the softness of his skin.

Hongjoong is beginning to think he might be falling for an alpha...

They both stay silent as they stare into each other's eyes, breathing heavily. They can almost feel one another's wolves begging to be together after fighting so much, finally being tired of all the conflict.

They're yearning for a connection.

Hongjoong feels his entire body relax after sitting there with Jongho for a while, his conflicted heart finally finding an understanding within his wolf. He slowly lifts his hand up and brushes it against Jongho's hand that's caressing his face. Hongjoong softly squeezes Jongho's hand, bringing it back down to the bed, interlacing their fingers against the sheets.

The corners of Jongho's lips curl up when Hongjoong eases and holds onto his hand, liking the gentle manner in which he holds it. He's not used to such fragility in their interactions since they're always fighting and his wolf practically purrs in delight at the new feeling. Jongho's mind is a bit jumbled from being at the tail end of his rut period, so who knows if this feeling will last, but he wants to enjoy it while he can. Hongjoong isn't in his rut too, is he?

Hongjoong's heart is pounding in his chest as they continue sitting with their foreheads together, feeling an almost bond-like connection from this contact. The power of being forehead to forehead always does this, seemingly heightening the emotions the two people are feeling. It's almost like they're able to feel each other's emotions and feelings.

Jongho begins to lean in, brushing his lips against Hongjoong's, making his wolf roar within him, happy with Jongho's actions. Jongho kisses Hongjoong deeply, a mild spark going through their lips and bodies as they finally connect.

Hongjoong's body stills when Jongho actually kisses him, not sure how to feel at first, but his wolf begs for him to kiss back.

So he does.

He hesitantly kisses him back, squeezing his hand tighter when he feels Jongho's soft tongue entering into his mouth. Hongjoong meets Jongho's tongue, playing with it for a bit before brushing it against Jongho's sharp teeth, liking the way his teeth grit against his tongue.

Jongho pulls on Hongjoong's hand, bringing him closer to him as he lays them back onto the bed, side by side. He can't help himself when he bites on Hongjoong's lower lip rather roughly, feeling some give in it when he realizes he might've broken some skin.

Hongjoong moves his hand up Jongho's arm and squeezes his shoulder before maneuvering it to pull at the skin of his back, their kiss getting rougher and rougher the longer they continue. Eventually, they both break away from each other and breathe heavily, their eyes hooded as they look into the other's eyes.

What the hell just happened...?

Both Hongjoong and Jongho's minds are a bit foggy from the intensity and suddenness of their affection. They don't take their eyes off each other, however. Jongho notices how a little cut of red comes from Hongjoong's mouth. He must've actually bitten him, huh?

Jongho hums and gets closer to Hongjoong's face once again, licking the small cut on Hongjoong's mouth, tasting his metallic blood once he brings his tongue back into his own mouth. He lets out a low chuckle and nuzzles back into his chest.

Hongjoong's whole face must be red after that action, feeling his lips tingling from Jongho's warm and wet tongue.

When they pull the covers up over themselves, Hongjoong stays laying in the bed with Jongho, wiping his mouth on his wrist, but he doesn't mind the blood that inevitably continues leaking out. He just sucks on his bottom lip to hopefully stop it.

And soon, they're passed out asleep together.

Trouble arises when the morning comes, Jongho waking up to feeling someone at his side in his bed. He turns over in bed and finds himself face to face with his sleeping rival. His hair is a mess from being rubbed against the pillow and he has the calmest look he's ever seen on his face, making Jongho's eyes sparkle slightly.

"What the-"

Jongho whispers in surprise but is startled when he sees Hongjoong stirring, sleepily opening his eyes to look up at him.

Hongjoong looks just as surprised as Jongho, though, when he opens his eyes to see his rival looking down at him with a shocked expression on his face.

They both weren't sure if that kiss last night really happened, and they sure as hell aren't going to bring it up to each other now. Not in _this_ situation.

Jongho's eyes narrow as he sits up, his mood turning back to normal, slightly shoving Hongjoong's shoulder into the bed, "Get out of my bed."

Hongjoong huffs, sitting up and pushing Jongho back, "Don't _shove_ me."

Jongho scoffs and crosses his arms, them both going back to their normal aggressive and somewhat bratty selves, "Did you know that some people say not to fight fire with fire? You'll just get burned," he says as he pushes Hongjoong harder, making him fall out of the bed.

Hongjoong makes a slight thud on the resting room floor but makes a quick recovery as he lunges at Jongho and tackles him off the bed and to the floor as well, "Well we better suck it up real fast then. Daesung is going to be back again."

"Oh, you don't have to worry," he says as he gets up off the floor, brushing himself off, "I do _not_ plan on staying another night and I don't think Daesung will be able to keep us another one either. Today is our day."

Hongjoong hums, also standing up, heading back to his side of the room, "We can only hope."

It turns out, today was their day. Daesung's eyes were full of questions when he opened the door to see Hongjoong's bottom lip puffed out and a small cut in it, but there seemed to be a different air surrounding them. Daesung thought he had noticed a change in the two alpha men he had locked up together, so he did in fact let them leave and go back to their homes.

Something _had_ changed in the two men, but Daesung just couldn't put his finger on what exactly.

Hongjoong and Jongho continued to fight roughly in sparring practice even after their "bonding exercise" as Daesung had put it... But at the back of the two boys' minds lingered that late night in bed together when their lips touched and sparks flew.

What will befall the two alpha men in the future?

**End of Chapter Nine**

\---------------------------------

_Hi, my loves ~_ I hope you don't mind a slightly shorter chapter to end Jongjoong's opening arc. (or should it be Hongho?)

You know who the last two are now to have an arc... ;)

IT'S **YUNGI** TIME, Y'ALL

This also means that the next arc is the **last one** of the opening arcs! Hopefully, the way I decided to open this whole story made some sort of sense. I thought it would be fun to get a little one on one insight to the ships before the next few things I have planned!

Thank you all so so much for reading up to this point!!! I hope you enjoy the final opening arc with Yungi and I _really_ hope you enjoy where the story moves after this point.


	12. Chapter Ten

Yunho grabs his mortar and pestle after gathering his herbs just as his herbal teacher instructed and he slowly begins to knead the herbs, the juices being squeezed out from the leaves and mixing together. Yunho works hard to make this remedy perfectly, knowing he would like to master making these medicines just like the rest of his pack. These ancient remedies have saved Essence many times over the years.

Yunho's always specialized in creating new mixes that differ from the old ones, trying to make new additions whenever he can. His teacher advises him to stick to the recipe, but Yunho can't help but experiment. He's even cured a sickness that came over Essence around this time last year all from a special remedy he had created himself.

"I see you're playing around again, Jeong," Yunho's teacher says to him, glancing over his shoulder to watch him as he kneads the herbs together.

Yunho smiles brightly up at his teacher, always having been a joyous soul, "It's not playing, sir. You never know when I, or anyone here, could make the next big medicine we use for years!" He says cheerfully.

The real reason Yunho's always been curious about medicines and remedies was because of his father. He's been ill for a very long time and all of the pack's mixes seem to never work for him. That's why Yunho kept trying to create new mixes -- in hopes that one of them will finally work for his father and cure him of his illness.

"Well, just don't make a mess..." His teacher stays, keeping his face straight and stern as he begins walking around to the other pack members when they all get interrupted by a loud noise outside.

What was that?

"Everyone gather to the center of the grounds immediately."

The voice is loud and everyone in the herbals building knows that it's their pack leader. It must be something important for him to call everyone like that. All of the students along with the teacher stand and leave to head to the center of the grounds.

Yunho wonders how his father is doing back at home, knowing he wouldn't be able to get up and walk all the way here. He will have to tell him the news when he gets back home. Yunho feels himself preparing for the worst the closer he gets to the large mass of his pack members.

Yunho notices that the Park family is he and gathered around towards the middle with the pack leader and his family. They must be here for their yearly visit, Yunho thinks. He's always found it interesting

Everyone is talking amongst themselves about what this could be about but are silenced when the pack leader begins to speak.

"We've received a prophecy this morning," He begins, "One that says war and ruin are coming, along with a strong and powerful love."

Many of the pack members are shocked, but the majority of the younger members aren't worried about the war and ruin part as much as the strong and powerful love part. They're all wanting to be the one the prophecy is about. There is talk among the young pack members about a possible fated mate pairing being among them, but the people that bring it up are immediately hushed calling it nonsense since fated mates know who their mate is instantly when they see them and they all know each other.

Yunho, however, is shaken when he hears the pack leader mention war.

It can't be.

There hasn't been a war in so long, it has to be wrong, right?

Yunho has an indistinguishable look of worry come across his face the more he thinks about it, his thoughts going straight to his ill father. If there is to be a war, he knows that all of the alphas and some betas will be sent to fight.

His father is among that group, being an alpha, of course.

Yunho knows that even though he is ill, he _will_ be called out to fight. Yunho also knows that he can't let that happen no matter what. It would kill him. His heart begins to beat faster and faster the more his mind begins to fill will thoughts about his father possibly dying if he were sent to fight in this war.

There has to be something he can do.

Yunho is knocked out of his trance by his friend Kyelin, "Yunho~ what do you think about the prophecy? Everyone is so worked up about the possibility of someone here having a fated mate, isn't that wild?" She asks, her eyes full of wonder as she stares up at her childhood friend.

Yunho flinches at the contact, not having expected anyone to startle him like that, but he should've known. Kyelin is always sneaking up on him like this.

"I haven't thought much of it, Lin..." Yunho begins, worry prominent in his voice, "You don't think there will actually be a war, right?"

Kyelin looks like she thinks for a while before answering, "Well, a prophecy has never been wrong before, but I think many of us are hoping that the powerful love could combat the acts of war mentioned. Don't you remember the stories, Yunho?"

Yunho sighs. Of course, he remembers the stories about Essence's most powerful ancient leaders. They were the first fated mate couple, soulmates that were bound to be with one another even before birth. Fated mates were destined to meet in every single lifetime. Essence had not seen a fated mate couple ever since them, so the ancient leaders' story became almost like an old folktale to the members of Essence now. In recent years, some members of the pack tried to fake that they were fated mates, but when it was found out to be false, they were cast out of the pack.

Essence believes fated mate couples are very special and have special powers within themselves that unlock when they find their mate. At least, that's what all of the stories would describe. The stories that all members of Essence have heard since they were small children.

"Of course I remember, Lin, but the war--"

"War, shmor. You know how powerful our pack is, Yunho. There's no way someone could defeat us, you know that!" Kyelin interrupts him, but her voice gets a bit quieter when she sees the defeated look on Yunho's face and she remembers about his father, "Oh... Yunho, you can't really believe they will try to send him, do you?"

Yunho flinches at the mention, knowing she means his father, and slightly turns away from her, looking towards the ground.

Kyelin comes over and wraps her arms around Yunho's waist, "They won't send him, Yun. You have nothing to worry about," She says in a hopeful tone, trying to get her childhood friend to look at her, "Look at me... I promise he won't get sent."

Yunho does look at her when she says her final sentence, a pang sending through Yunho's heart, really wanting to believe that she's telling the truth. He calms down after talking with her and nods, biting his lip to keep it from trembling.

Yunho's eyes are suddenly drawn back to the Park family, seeing them talking to the head alpha before rushing out of essence grounds.

He can't help but wonder what is actually going on here.

Is war truly among us?

~

_The Park family is sprinting quickly through the woods to get to Bloodbane in time before they set out on their attack._

_"It seemed like everything was going alright until that gathering in the middle of the grounds when that prophecy was read," Gyungho growls, "I can't believe after all these years that Bloodbane would actually do something so... So stupid!"_

_Hyejin glances over at her husband as they all run, "They must really believe Essence still possesses magic."_

_"It didn't seem like they had any magical abilities, only the remedies and medicines that they've made, but that isn't magic. That's just what they've always done and they're the reason we're all able to get through so many illnesses. Maybe they found something," Dohyon suggests._

_Seonghwa keeps quiet as they all run, running close to his sister Areum to make sure she's keeping up. Areum hasn't been doing so well, they think she might've caught something from traveling so much. She's prone to getting sick whenever they travel to all of the packs._

_Seonghwa's been worried about her, so he got some medicines while they were in Essence to try and help her while they're still on their journey. He knows the stress from all of this war talk can't be good for her health either._

_Seonghwa nuzzles her side when she lags behind a bit, and this action makes her continue running on with them, knowing she will be able to rest soon._

_Gyungho's voice is gruff through their link, "Knowing Bloodbane, they probably saw something new that Essence had created and instantly thought the worst. Who knows. We must get there as fast as we possibly can, though. Hurry."_

~

"We've already gathered and explained the plan to all of Bloodbane's alphas and strongest betas. They're going to meet us at the entrance of our grounds in two days' time. That will give them enough notice to bid their goodbyes and farewells to their families and friends before we head off. I trust that throughout the years, we have trained them all to be at their peak performance and we will have no problem when we encounter Essence," Mingi's father, Song Minseok announces, standing before their family and a few of their most trusted alphas.

Mingi watches and listens to his father, already knowing all of this information since he's been his right-hand man ever since he became of age, so his mind is a bit distracted with other thoughts.

He will never get over how his father can control a room and get everyone in it to listen to him and respect him. Mingi has always aspired to be a wonderful man such as his father.

"My son will be leading a small pack through the forest where we will try and sneak-attack any members of Essence trying to get the upper hand on us. We sense that they know something is coming, but we're hoping they're not sure exactly what that something is. We don't know how exactly their magical abilities work, so we can't say positively, but I know Bloodbane's power. I know that together we will be able to bring them down. After this, _no one_ will disobey the widely known forbiddance of magic that all of the packs set in stone many years ago," Minseok continues, his voice booming throughout the room they're all sitting in.

Mingi's face flashes with disgust at the mention of magic, knowing he's been raised being told all of the horrible things that magic caused in the past. Those horrible events are why all of the packs collectively agreed to never use it again. So, why would Essence still be using it? Mingi couldn't understand.

Essence has been rumored to still possess magical abilities for many many years, but recently, one of Bloodbane's members told Minseok that they saw a few members of Essence practicing magic. This led to Minseok sending out some of his men to spy on Essence and they came back to him with similar results.

Essence still has the power of magic.

After the meeting, Mingi began packing his backpack for when they set out the morning after next. He senses someone outside of his room and turns around to see his father coming in and taking a seat on the side of his bed.

Minseok smiles warmly toward his son and pats the spot on the bed that's next to him, "Come sit, Mingi."

Mingi nods, stopping his packing and he goes and sits beside his father, immediately being taken into a loving embrace by him, causing Mingi to laugh, "Father, what's wrong?"

Minseok releases his son from his embrace and rubs his shoulder, "I just thought you needed that. You looked distant during our meeting, is everything okay?" He asks, genuinely worried about his boy. He knows how distraught he's been recently, and there's only one thing he knows it could be.

"It's just... I thought I would've found my fated mate by now," Mingi sighs as he twiddles his thumbs, "You had already found mother by this age and so did all of the other alpha males in our family, so why haven't I found mine?" He asks, worry prominent in his voice as he lifts his head to look at his father.

Minseok brings his son closer to him, keeping an arm around him as he speaks calmly, "Mingi, you just have to wait a bit longer is all. You know everyone in our family has found their fated mate, so don't go thinking you're any different. They will come, my son. You'll know instantly," He smiles, thinking back to when he had met Mingi's mother for the first time.

"I know, I know... I'm just starting to worry about how much longer I will have to wait for them. I want to know what it's like to finally have my soulmate," Mingi says, thinking about what his fated mate could possibly be like.

"When you find them, it's going to be the most astonishing moment of your entire life. It'll feel like life paused just for you two when you first make eye contact. I promise to you that all of this waiting will finally be worth it, son," Minseok says as he strokes his son's back before giving him a kiss on the head, "I'll see you the morning after next. Please be sure to say your farewells to everyone as I mentioned back there."

Mingi smiles, feeling better after talking to his father about how he's been feeling, "Will do, father. Thank you."

Minseok turns and shows a loving smile before heading out.

Mingi lies back on his bed and daydreams about his future fated mate. He wonders if they will be a male or female, a beta or omega. What will they look like? Mingi's mind is flooded by thoughts of them, it makes his heartbeat quicken the more his imagination goes wild.

Mingi puts his hand over his heart and closes his eyes.

_Soon, my love..._

_I'll meet you soon..._

**End of Chapter Ten**


	13. Chapter Eleven

~

Yunho opened the door to his and his father's house that morning to a small letter on their doorstep. He feels chills throughout his body as he stares down at the letter before bending down and picking it up, taking it back inside. Yunho nibbles on his lip as he sits down at the kitchen table and tears open the letter.

_We hereby call out_ _Jeong Kangmin_ _as an_ _alpha_ _of pack Essence to participate in a potential war that is brewing. We can only assume the aggressor to be Bloodbane, who is a great and powerful pack. Due to the prophecy we have received, we are calling upon all alphas and betas to begin preparing themselves for the worst. Tonight, there will be a gathering of all alphas and betas in the west building to discuss our plans moving forward. More information will be disclosed then._

_Thank you, my beloved packmates of Essence_

Yunho feels his heart drop into his stomach as he reads what the letter has to say. He knows that the head alpha knows about his father's illness, so why is he still getting one of these letters? He can't possibly fight. Sometimes he can hardly get up on his own without Yunho's help.

"Are you okay, Yunho?"

Yunho lifts his head up at his father's voice, not realizing he had tears running down his cheeks. Yunho nods, wiping his face to make to seem like he wasn't clearly just crying, "Yes, yes, father. I'm okay," Yunho closes the letter and shoves it in his pocket as he stands up and goes over to him, "Are you okay? How are you feeling today?" Yunho gives him a hopeful smile since he's walking on his own today.

"I feel good today, Yun. Look at me, I'm all up and about," Kangmin says, but his speech is interrupted by intense coughing as he hunches over, grabbing hold of his stomach.

Yunho wraps his arm around his father and keeps him grounded and held up, "I see you, you're doing so well," He assures him, keeping a bright smile on his face even though he knows the worst possible thing that could happen is sitting right in his pocket.

Kangmin stops coughing and brings himself back up with the help of his son, "I just wanted to come and sit by the window so I can look out at the grounds..." He explains, slowly walking over to the soft chair they have placed in front of the window. Yunho's father has always liked seeing the members of Essence out and about doing their everyday activities, it makes him happy to see all of their happy faces since he's not able to get out of the house anymore.

Yunho helps his father sit down in the chair and he gets his blanket for him and lays it across his lap, "Lots of people are out today," Yunho says as he looks out the window, seeing a few people running around to the different homes. Of course, Yunho knows what's happening. Everyone is a bit frantic about all of the alphas and betas having to get prepared for war and patrolling.

Yunho hums to himself for a few moments, working up the courage to speak, "I'll be gone for a little while this evening, will that be okay, father? I'll have Kyelin come by and check on you."

Kangmin chuckles, "Finally my son is getting out of the house," He says proudly, "You don't have to worry, with Kyelin here, I'll be just fine. Have you met someone?" He looks up at Yunho with a smirk on his pale face, having always wanted his son to find someone since he insisted he and Kyelin weren't going to be a thing.

Yunho feels the tips of his ears turning red at the mention of him and a possible suitor and Yunho quickly shakes his head, "No, nothing like that," He laughs awkwardly, "I'm just going to meet with some friends..." He says, but he knows his lying voice isn't the greatest.

"Ahhh, so that's what they call it these days," Kangmin smiles, turning his head to look back out the window as he lays back in the chair, "Go have fun, Yun. I hate that you feel like you have to keep yourself all cooped up in this house because of me."

Yunho's heart aches at his father's words. It's true. Yunho hasn't spent much time outside of his house ever since his father got sick a few years back and it's caused him to not have much interaction with the world aside from within his pack. Even with his pack, he's kept to himself and everyone has left him alone for the most part. Everyone in the pack knows about his father's illness and how hard Yunho has worked to try and make something to help him.

"I like being with you, father," Yunho kisses the top of his father's head and smiles, "But I know you like Kyelin more," he laughs teasingly.

Kangmin chuckles more, causing him to have a coughing fit, "She's like the daughter I never had, Yun!"

Yunho hums and pats his father's shoulder, "I'll be home later tonight, but hopefully you'll be in bed by then, so I'll see you in the morning. I love you."

"I love you, son."

Yunho turns his back and clenches his fist as the hurt and pain overtakes his chest while he walks back to his bedroom. This evening, he's going to do everything in his power to beg the pack leader to send him instead of his father. He knows Essence will need all of the fighting power they can get, so he will go in his place.

Later that evening, Yunho heads out of his house when Kyelin gets there to look after his father. Yunho didn't tell Kyelin the whole truth of why he had to have her look after him, but she didn't press him. Kyelin had the same suspicions as his father did, and god is he wishing they were both right at this point.

He steps into the building they were told to meet in the letter and all of the heads turn toward him, sensing an omega in the room. Yunho bows his head at them all and boy is it an awkwardly silent walk to the front of the room past all of these alphas and omegas to get to the pack leader.

"Jeong Yunho, what are you doing here?" The pack leader asks as soon as he steps foot in front of him.

"I'm coming in place of my father. You know he is sick and won't be able to fight in this war, so why was a letter sent to him?" He asks, already knowing the answer.

"We need everyone we can, Jeong. He doesn't have to be on the frontlines, but we need him here."

Yunho shakes his head, taking a deep breath to keep his tears at bay before he speaks, "I can go in place of him. I know I'm an omega, but I'll be able to fight."

The pack leader sighs, thinking a moment, cursing under his breath, "I suppose in his state currently, you _would_ be potentially stronger than him, hmm?" He looks at the other alphas and betas around the room and back at Yunho, "Does Kangmin know about this, boy?"

Yunho hesitates, knowing he didn't tell anything about this to his father, so he slowly shakes his head.

The pack leader is about to begin again, but Yunho speaks up, "Please," he begs, "Please let me go instead of him, Sir. I won't let you down," Yunho says, his last sentence with as much confidence as he can muster.

"You better not."

~

The Park family finally arrive at Bloodbane. They arrive to all of the alphas and betas gathered in the entrance of the grounds.

Are they too late?

Seonghwa is standing with an arm around Areum to keep her standing, she looks absolutely exhausted from all of that intense running they just did. Her head is pressed against her brother's chest, closing her eyes to try and rest even just a little bit.

Park Gyungho steps up and walks up to Bloodbane's head alpha, Song Minseok, who is at the center of the pack, "Minseok, what is going on here?" He asks, not bothering with formalities at a time like this.

"There's nothing you can do, Gyungho. We've prepared for this and in a few minutes we're setting off to make our attack. There is no stopping us. We will get rid of those magic users," Minseok says powerfully.

"Yes, magic was the cause of the last war, but there is no sign of magic at Essence. We were just there. Why would you cause another war over this? You know that it isn't worth it, don't you, Minseok?" Gyungho's voice gets deeper the angrier he gets at this situation.

"It's absolutely worth it if it means finally getting rid of magic. We _all_ agreed that it should be forbidden a long time ago," He glared at Seonghwa's father, "Now, I would advise you and your family to go back to Chrysalis so we can handle this. We're not bringing it to any other pack. It's going to be either us or them, and it's _not_ going to be us. There will be no more Essence after this."

Gyungho understands that he's not going to get through to him and his wife Hyejin gently places her hand onto Gyungho's shoulder, hoping to calm him down.

"Come on, my love..." Hyejin whispers to him, "The children are exhausted and you know once Minseok's mind is made up there's no changing it."

Gyungho closes his eyes to ease the rage fuming inside of him, wanting to continue setting a good example for his children. He's not raised them to go off on someone no matter the situation. Chrysalis is a pack of peace and he's going to keep it that way no matter what.

Dohyon looks back at Seonghwa and Areum and goes to them, trying to help Seonghwa hold up their sister, "She's really tired, huh?"

Seonghwa nods with a worried look on his face, "She's ill."

"Let's get her some rest. You want to lay down, Areum?" Dohyon asks her in a soft voice, "Come on, I know Seonghwa got you some medicine while we were in Essence. That should make you feel better," He says, keeping a smile on his face as he and Seonghwa bring her into the home they usually stay in when they're in Bloodbane.

They won't be able to head back to Chrysalis with Areum like this.

~

Mingi sprints at the head of his pack, having been assigned to lead a part of the pack to perform the sneak attack on Essence through the woods just before their grounds. Once they get a mile or so away from the forest, they slow their pace as to keep their footsteps quieter. They need this attack to work.

Yunho is trailing somewhat behind in the pack he was assigned to, being told to just follow in the middle of the pack so he's not at the forefront, but also not at the back to potentially be left behind. The further they creep into the forest by their grounds, the more Yunho becomes on-edge. Something is eating at him and it's not just his father's intense worry and fear when he had to tell him he was going to be in one of the defense packs to patrol the outer forests of Essence. They started this patrol yesterday morning and will continue until either the prophecy comes true, or they get another one that calls them back.

The pack Yunho was put with are all good friends with one another, so they're easy to make conversation with when he's not feeling so uneasy.

The wolf walking next to Yunho nudges into him, causing Yunho to flinch, " _Hey, kid. Are you doing alright? You're especially jumpy today."_

Yunho hums, keeping his head lowered as they continue walking, " _I just feel off... I don't know what it is. Something might be wrong, but I can't say for sure."_

Yunho's packmate nods, assuring him that they will stay on high alert during this patrol.

A faint scent of rosemary begins to enter Yunho's nostrils and his wolf, for some reason, becomes more at ease and he doesn't feel the same bad feeling he was feeling before. Maybe things will be alright today after all... But what is this scent...?

The longer they continue patrol, the stronger the rosemary scent is becoming to Yunho and his wolf is getting more and more drawn to it, wanting for Yunho to go to wherever this wonderful smell is coming from.

" _Do any of you smell that?"_ Yunho asks finally, the scent quickly becoming all he's able to concentrate on and he's wondering if his packmates are feeling similarly to him.

" _What smell?"_

_"I don't smell anything, man."_

Yunho keeps his head up for once and can't help but look around in search for the distinct rosemary scent within the forest. They really can't smell this? Is it a trap? Yunho's mind is flooded by thoughts and the overwhelming smell, it's almost intoxicating to him.

Yunho finds himself wandering off slightly to the left where it's coming from, and his heart drops when he hears a branch break further in the trees where the scent is originating from.

Something is wrong.

**End of Chapter Eleven**


	14. Chapter Twelve

Mingi leads the pack he's in charge of through the forest, knowing they'll be getting to the outskirts of Essence soon. Mingi's senses start to become a bit distracted at an unfamiliar lemon scent coming from somewhere. He knows it's none of his alphas' scent. He feels a small tugging on his heart the closer they're getting closer to it. The anticipation is building from not knowing where this citrusy scent is coming from.

Mingi can hear his heart pounding in his chest, but he doesn't let it distract him too much, knowing he must continue to lead his pack. Excitement is filling his body because he knows his parents would tell him how before they even met each other, they would be able to smell each other's scent from extreme distances. All of his family's fated mates have been like that.

Mingi knows he shouldn't be excited in a time like this, but he's waited so long to finally meet his other half that he can't help it. Will they really meet today, or are they just nearby?

The closer they get, the stronger the scent becomes and Mingi's head is becoming more and more clouded with curiosity of where his fated mate is and a branch breaks beneath his foot. He's looking a slightly different way when he hears his packmates start to sprint and Mingi immediately kicks himself back in gear, running with his pack towards a group of wolves that seem like they're patrolling.

Next thing Yunho knows, he's being pinned down on the forest floor by an extremely large wolf he knows is an alpha, " _HELP!"_ Yunho yelps through their link and all of his packmates instantly rush over and a fight breaks out. All of the alphas are at each other's throats and Yunho can't seem to get out from under this large brown wolf on top of him.

Yunho's wolf cries for help, wanting to get out from under this unfamiliar wolf he can only assume is one of Bloodbane's alphas. Yunho nips at the wolf's neck, attempting to distract it to get away, but the alpha doesn't budge.

Yunho's eyes widen and his heart is racing in what he can only assume are his final moments. He never even got to help. He could never do anything. He couldn't help his father, he couldn't even help his own pack at this time of need. All he could ever do was try, but it was never enough, Yunho thought. The alpha on top of Yunho is about to go in to rip his throat out and all Yunho can do is try to accept his inevitable fate at the jaws of the enemy.

Until suddenly, the wolf on top of Yunho is thrown off of him and hits a nearby tree with enough force to take the entire tree down. Whimpers can be heard in the distance from the flung wolf and Yunho lies cowering on the cold forest ground.

" **Do NOT touch him**!"

Yunho's eyes widen at the booming and powerful voice that echoes throughout the forest, it seems to make even the trees shake. All the smaller animals had already scurried off from all of the destruction the wolves had caused

Yunho turns his head, looking towards the cause to see a gigantic dark grey wolf and his entire body feels like it's about to burst. Yunho's mind becomes empty, only to be replaced by the wolf he's staring at's appearance and his nose to only be filled with that invigorating scent of rosemary he's been focused on for the last half hour.

The dark grey wolf comes over to Yunho as quickly as he possibly can, their gazes connecting instantly with one another and their eyes seem to flash differently than their original color. Yunho's body is overwhelmed by the power of the dark grey alpha in front of him, suddenly feeling like he must never leave his side.

What is this feeling...? Yunho questions, but he already knows. His own body knows just as well as his wolf who this large alpha standing in front of him is.

" _M-Mate,"_ Yunho's wolf chokes out through the pack link, unable to actually speak in his wolf form.

The dark grey wolf nuzzles into Yunho's neck and inhales his own sweet lemon scent - the act sending shivers throughout Yunho's whole body. Yunho finds himself falling in place with the other wolf when he feels himself being hit with a new link as the dark grey wolf attaches himself to Yunho.

" _My fated mate, at last..._ **"**

Yunho hears the deep voice invading his mind and he's immediately comforted by the sound, " _Fated mate...?"_ Yunho restates, his mind barely able to comprehend anything at the moment.

The two wolves in the middle of the forest don't even seem to notice the continued fighting happening around them. Yunho doesn't answer the questioning voices from his other packmates asking him what he was doing and what in the hell he just said through the link.

The dark grey wolf nods his head into Yunho's neck once again, making a humming noise before backing away and finally taking a look at all of the chaos happening around them.

" **Stop."**

The unfamiliar wolves all cease their attacks on Yunho's packmates and turn to face the dark grey wolf in question.

" _Mingi, what is going on?"_

_"What the hell?!"_ The wolf that had attacked Yunho asks, walking angrily up to Mingi.

Mingi growls at the wolf that gets up in his face, moving in front of the small omega he found to be his fated mate, wanting to protect him.

" **He's my fated mate. Stop all attacks this instant or else you'll be severely punished."**

Yunho's eyes are filled with fear when the wolf that attacked him comes up to the dark grey wolf's face, knowing they all must be talking through their own pack link. He forces himself to look away when the hateful eyes of the wolf that attacked him stare deeply into him. He knows that look of hatred all too well.

Yunho's nudged by one of his own packmates, taking him out of his own thoughts, " _Yunho, what is all of this? Why did they stop attacking us?"_

_"Did you call that scum your mate?"_ One of the more injured betas question through the link towards Yunho.

Yunho isn't even completely sure what is going on, himself. The only thing he is sure about is that this dark grey alpha standing ground in front of him is his mate. He's always heard the stories about Essence's ancient leaders finding each other to be mates, soulmates. He's heard about the way they would describe one another in the most beautiful and poetic ways. All the children of Essence would look up to them in hopes of being able to find their own soulmates.

But Yunho never would've thought he would feel that feeling that Essence's ancient leaders had felt so long ago... Until he saw _him_. His body still hasn't stopped tingling from when his mate first laid eyes on him and his wolf is over the moon, begging for him to stay in contact with him at all times and to never leave his side, for he will protect him until death.

The rosemary scent he had been smelling... It had been _him._ Yunho can't help it when his eyes automatically go to look at the dark grey wolf, " _What's your name...?"_ Yunho asks through his and the new dark grey wolf's link.

The wolf turns around to look at Yunho when he hears his gentle voice enter his head, his eyes looking like they twinkle as soon as they settle back on Yunho, " _Song_ _Mingi. What is your name, my love?"_

" _Jeong_ _Yunho_."

A perfect name, Mingi thinks to himself as he admires his shy mate. Jeong Yunho... Mingi thinks about the meaning of his name and hums in delight since it seems to fit him perfectly. Quiet and gentle... He senses something more powerful within his mate though, but he cannot quite put his finger on it. He has a lot to learn about his newfound love, and he knows he will gladly wait forever to learn everything about him.

Mingi seems to forget all about his own packmate that came up to him to focus all of his attention onto Yunho, " _What is my love doing out here with all of these alphas? You could've gotten hurt,"_ Mingi nuzzles his face back into Yunho's neck, taking in more of his lemon scent that he can't seem to get enough of, " _You almost did get hurt by one of my own pack members... But don't worry, you will never have to worry about getting hurt ever again now that I'm here by your side, Yunho."_

Yunho melts into Mingi the moment the alpha says his name, it sending sparks through his veins. Yunho hums into Mingi's dark grey fur, " _Y-You're from Bloodbane, aren't you?"_ Yunho asks nervously, looking up into his mate's beautiful brown eyes, wishing he wasn't fearing the worst.

Mingi nods, " _The one and only, my love,"_ he answers self-assuredly, but he soon realizes how close they were to Essence, taking an even closer look at his beautiful mate and the wolves gathered behind him.

Oh shit.

Mingi starts to understand their situation, having been mind-blocked by the feeling of finding his fated mate after all of these years. His fated mate is from his rival pack... Yunho is a member of _Essence_... Those dirty magic users that Bloodbane has been wanting to get rid of for so long. The whole reason Mingi and his pack are out here in these woods in the first place. They were going to attack them and wipe them out through war.

But now...

Mingi is staring down into his mate's sparkling eyes and he knows that he won't be able to go through with any of it. He's not going to be able to destroy the grounds where his mate grew up. He's not going to be able to destroy the people and family he's spent all of his life with. He can't take his precious mate's happiness away like that.

Mingi has to find a way to call off this war, and fast.

" _Father, we must stop this war at once,"_ Mingi tries to send to his father, Minseok, but he doesn't get an answer. They must be too far away and it causes Mingi to grit his teeth, fearing that they might already be on Essence grounds.

Mingi looks back towards his mate, " _Yunho, can you lead me back to your pack?"_ He tries, hoping that they'll be able to get there in time before the destruction and ruin is already upon them.

Yunho nods in agreement after taking a few moments to think. He knows that their head alpha will think of him as a traitor when they first get there for bringing one of Bloodbane's own straight into their grounds, but Yunho knows it might be the only way to save what's potentially left of his home. He begins to fear for his father and for Kyelin the longer they run, but every grazing of Mingi's fur against his own seems to ease his nerves.

It's all going to be okay, right...?

~

Yunho leads Mingi back to Essence's grounds as quickly as they can possibly run in their wolf form. Yunho is shocked, but not surprised when Mingi's wolf keeps wanting him to go as fast as he actually can go, but he has to lower his speed a bit to stay with Yunho. He _is_ the one leading him there, after all.

Yunho keeps his speed up, using up all of his energy to get back to Essence -- and they arrive...

Just not as soon has they had both hoped they would.

There's large dark-colored alphas and betas fighting and already destroying pieces of the town Yunho had spent his childhood in. Yunho's eyes flash color as he sees his pack members fighting with all of their might against the Bloodbane wolves that have invaded their territory.

" **EVERYONE STOP THIS INSTANT!** "

Yunho's entire body shivers at the sense of Mingi's dominance as soon as they stop, making him want to kneel lower to the ground, but he doesn't. He stands strong, knowing Mingi must be yelling at all of his packmates through their link. All Yunho can do is hope and pray to the ancient leaders that they listen.

Mingi growls loudly to further convey his message through the pack link, and many of the members of Bloodbane do stop, but only from the surprise of Mingi's voice echoing through their minds.

Many of them stand ground and turn to see their head alpha's son standing at the opening of Essence with a smaller medium brown wolf standing beside them that they know is not one of their own.

While most of the wolves did stop to look at Mingi, some of the more aggressive alphas of Bloodbane continued their pursuit in fighting the wolf they were before Mingi came.

" **IF YOU DO NOT STOP RIGHT NOW, I'LL BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR HEAD ON A PILLAR IN THE CENTER OF OUR GROUNDS BY TOMORROW!** "

Yunho is unsure of what his mate just relayed to his pack through their link, but whatever it was was enough to make every single member of Bloodbane finally stop and begin to come over to Mingi.

" _What is going on, Mingi?"_

_"Who the hell is that?"_

_"Minseok is going to have all of our heads if we don't go through with this attack."_

Mingi seems to be fuming the more he examines all of the destruction that's already befallen Essence, but his body is soon set at ease when Yunho walks up closer to him and their fur grazes each other. This is what it feels like to truly have your fated mate? Mingi can't believe that he's been missing this important piece of his puzzle for so long, and he knows he's going to do everything in his power to never let him go.

" **Where is my father?** "

The members of Bloodbane all look around at each other in what seems like a discussion, but one comes forward.

" _I saw him fighting with Essence's alpha a mile or so back."_

Mingi nods, seeing the way his packmate shifts his head and he looks to where it leads.

Into the other side of the forest.

Mingi worries for Yunho's safety, but he knows that he will be able to keep him safe if they both go in search of his father. He will be the one that can stop this attack once and for all.

" _Who is that?"_

_"Mingi, who is this brown wolf?"_

_"Why are you with one of those Essence wolves?"_

Mingi turns his head back towards the group of his packmates and growls lowly, keeping Yunho behind him in an attempt to protect him from his own pack, " **He's my fated mate. There will no longer be a war, you hear me? You better get your asses back to Bloodbane before you cause any more ruin here.** "

Yunho looks up at his mate with worry-filled eyes, " _Mingi, is everything going to be okay?_ "

Mingi turns his head back to Yunho when he hears his soothing voice go through his mind, and he gently puts his snout to the top of Yunho's head, similar to a kiss on the forehead if they were in their human-like form, " _Yes, my love. I promise to you that I will fix everything and there will be no more pain for you or your people."_

Yunho nods, fully putting his trust into Mingi. He might've just met the man, but fated mates work differently than when just meeting a normal for the first time. He's meant to be with Mingi for the rest of his life. He knows it. His wolf knows it. It's in his blood, it's only his instincts. That's how Yunho is able to so easily put his faith and trust into Mingi. His body didn't need time to warm up to him, it's like he's known him his entire life even though that's not the case.

Yunho doesn't know any better feeling than the feeling he feels now that he's with Mingi. He doesn't even know what he looks like, he's now realizing. They've been in their wolf forms the entire time they've been together, and god does it really feel like a long time...

In reality, it's only been a few hours.

Mingi and Yunho run to where the Bloodbane wolf pointed out where Mingi's father was last seen. Yunho's body is completely worn out and he feels like he can't run much longer when Mingi finally comes to a halt in front of him.

Yunho stops himself and comes out from behind Yunho to a sight he wishes his eyes never had to see.

On the ground lies Essence's head alpha and above him stands the largest dark grey wolf he's ever seen in his entire life, looking quite similar to Mingi in coloring. Yunho knows that this wolf must be Mingi's father.

Yunho's lip quivers involuntarily at the sight of his head alpha lying on the cold ground, unmoving.

Mingi hasn't said anything or moved since he stilled at the sight in front of them. He knows what his father has done and he's too late. He curses himself heavily. Why is he always too late...?

Mingi slowly shifts back to his human form, pulling a robe from his backpack and wrapping himself, his eyes trained on his father as he steps forward with a hesitant tone to his voice.

"Father, what have you done...?"

**End of Chapter Twelve**


	15. Chapter Thirteen

ONE YEAR LATER

"My wife Hyejin and I have been discussing this for a while now, and we would like to inform all of you that we will be sending out letters to chosen members of the packs around us to visit Chrysalis and stay for a month to join our lessons about our values and way of life. We believe that through this experience, we will further understanding of one another. Through this program, we're hoping that the more we can understand each other, the fewer problems we will all have involving each other," Gyungho, Seonghwa's father, announces in from of his family and many of the elders of Chrysalis, including the Han family.

Hyejin stands with her husband, "We will be choosing the lucky men and women tonight and send out the letters tomorrow morning. We're hoping their arrival will be in two weeks, as that is what we wrote on the letters. During this time awaiting their arrival, we'll prepare two buildings for our new guests. These buildings will be separated by men and women, of course."

Seonghwa hums, resting his chin on his hand while he listens to his parents speak about their plans. Although he doesn't look interested, the more he takes in their ideas, the more logical it sounds to him. If everyone is able to understand and relate to one another, it makes sense that there would be fewer arguments among us all.

Seonghwa's disrupted from his thoughts when he feels someone's foot brush against his, willing his head to turn in the direction of it.

Han Eunji.

Ever since Seonghwa and his family came back to Chrysalis after their journey to all the packs last year, Eunji has been trying her strongest to get Seonghwa to notice her. Seonghwa knows Eunji's parents have already discussed the two of them becoming mates, so he's sure this has gotten into Eunji's head.

She is, of course, a rare alpha female just as he's a rare omega male. For Chrysalis, that is... They're the only two in their entire pack that matches correctly according to the Chrysalis pack rules, so it's clear they're expected to be mates.

And Seonghwa assumes that they _will_ have to be. He's going to have to settle for her. He's going to have to learn to love her. It's only right.

Seonghwa just doesn't want to mate. He's never felt the need to find a mate, his suppressants allowing him to skip his heats and eliminating that instinctually need. Seonghwa will always be thankful for suppressants because of this fact. The only time he thought his suppressants were faulty happened last year when he and his family entered Eclipse.

San.

He was the one that ruined it all. Ever since Seonghwa got back, he asked his parents for a higher dose of suppressants since he pushed away the thought he knew was true. He thought it was easier to not think about the fact of San being his fated mate, but it made it hard when he would feel these intense aches shoot throughout his chest that made him feel like he was going to die right then and there. Seonghwa made himself believe it was just his suppressants not being strong enough for him anymore, and he was content with those thoughts.

Seonghwa's brought back to reality when Eunji brushes her foot against his once again, not realizing he was lost in thought while looking at her. When Seonghwa's mind clears, he sees Eunji staring sweetly back at him, mouthing ' _hello_ ' as she rubs her leg against his.

Seonghwa keeps his face neutral as usual and gives her a nod before turning his attention back to his parents.

Only, they've already finished their speech. Everyone has begun leaving except the choice few that go up to his parents to discuss with them further.

Seonghwa sighs, frustrated that he let himself get so distracted. He looks two chairs down, seeing the empty space and it makes him feel even worse. Areum has been sick ever since they got back and nothing they've tried seems to make her any better. Their parents are starting to believe Areum just has a very weak immune system.

It pains Seonghwa to watch his sister miss out on most everything nowadays. Seonghwa doesn't let her go unknowing, though. He goes into her room a few evenings each week to see and visit her to tell her what's been going on around the grounds.

Dohyon got mated not too long ago, so he doesn't get to come see Areum as much. Seonghwa has done his best to fill in Dohyon's role as the protective brother for Areum, but with Seonghwa's hard-shell exterior, he can come off... rather cold.

"How is your sister doing?" Seonghwa hears Eunji ask. She always asks about her and it makes Seonghwa want to smile knowing that even though Areum isn't around everyone as much, that they still think and worry about her.

"Well," Seonghwa replies, thinking back to a few days ago when he visited her last. She was still feeble and frail, attributes not usually ascribed to someone of such a young age like her, but they're the best words Seonghwa can think of when asked to describe Areum's current state.

Eunji nods, gently moving her hand to atop Seonghwa's forearm, "Maybe I could come with you to visit her one of these days, Seonhgwa. Would that be alright?"

Seonghwa moves his arm away instinctually, glancing around to make sure none of the lingering pack members were looking in their direction. He's annoyed by her movements because Eunji knows the rules. Yes, they're thought of to be future mates eventually, but the touching must stay to a minimum until then and Seonghwa isn't going to turn the other cheek to it.

Not again...

Seonghwa still can't believe he allowed San to touch him in the way he had that day. He shakes his head, hating the fact he's been thinking about him so often today.

"That will be fine," Seonghwa finally answers her before standing up, wanting to get back to his home to see Eunji, "Just not today."

Eunji nods and is about to say something else, but Seonghwa's gone, the sliding door of the meeting building left slightly ajar from his abrupt exit.

~ **t/w dubcon ; non-explicit**

Wooyoung turns the stove back to medium once he gets the water to a roaring boil, adding all of the ingredients into the pot while he stirs it. There's a beautiful orange glow of the sunset coming through the window and shining down onto Wooyoung's face as he cooks the meal for him and Sunghee. He's admiring the view when a hand runs through his hair, gripping it with a bit more strength than he would've liked to move his head to the side to reveal his neck.

Sunghee nuzzles his face down into Wooyoung's neck, humming against it as he kisses and licks against the mating mark he placed there only a year ago, "You got a letter today, mmm..." He says in a mumble as he goes up to nibble on his mate's earlobe.

Wooyoung moves to turn around to face Sunghee, but he feels his mate's rough hands grip his hips to keep him in place as he continues his actions on Wooyoung's neck. Once he's done he slides the envelope into Wooyoung's hands, still standing behind him, almost like a surveillance watch to see what's written in the letter.

Wooyoung sighs back into Sunghee's chest as he carefully tears open the letter, unfolding it to reveal its contents.

_Dear_ _Jung Wooyoung_ _,_

_On behalf of Chrysalis, we would like to invite you to join us two weeks from the arrival of this letter to participate in our lessons. These lessons will consist of: learning about the history of Chrysalis as a pack, learning about our pack values, and learning about how we live. We have invited many people from all of our surrounding packs to join us in this learning experience. Through this experience, we believe that we will create a stronger bond between us all. By getting a better understanding of those around us, we believe that it will bring us closer and lessen the chances of misunderstandings in the future._

_As we have sent these letters out by choosing people randomly, we can not be sure of everyone's mated status. If you receive this letter and you have a mate, they are more than welcome to join you. In fact, we encourage it._

_See you soon,_

_Gyungho and Hyejin Park_

Wooyoung flinches when he hears a scoff from behind him, "A learning experience? I know all about Chrysalis. I could tell you anything you wanted to know about those prudes," Sunghee asserts.

Wooyoung nods once, hesitating before he decides he wants to speak, "I think we should go..."

Sunghee's brow furrows up as soon as he hears that come out of Wooyoung's mouth, "You think we should go?" He turns his mate around quickly to look down at him, "Why is that?"

Wooyoung's nose scrunches up as he feels his anger rising up, "Just because you think you know everything about them already doesn't mean you really do."

Sunghee grips onto Wooyoung's hip harder, pulling him towards him, causing Wooyoung to fall against his chest, their faces still pointedly staring at one another, "You'd think by now you wouldn't talk back to me, Woo."

Wooyoung's body recoils at the nickname. He's been using it since the moment they were assigned as mates and Wooyoung's never liked hearing that sweet nickname coming from _his_ lips. There's only one person he will ever let call him that name and Wooyoung will never accept that it will be _him_.

"We should go."

"You really want to go, hmm?" Sunghee asks, the corner of his lips curling up into a smirk, "Stop taking those suppressants then. It's about time you bless me with a pup, don't you think?" He moves his index finger under Wooyoung's chin, bringing his face up to inspect it.

Wooyoung narrows his eyes as he stares daggers into Sunghee's reddening irises, "You said that we could wait a few years or so for that, plus you know how tough it is going back on them once you stop."

Sunghee chuckles as he listens to Wooyoung talk him down from that suggestion, moving his hand from Wooyoung's chin down to his shoulder, resting it there, "I suppose I did say that, didn't I?"

Wooyoung doesn't say anything, he stands there as he watches the red shade become more prominent in his mate's eyes. Wooyoung knows what is coming for him.

His suspicions are correct when Sunghee presses down on Wooyoung's shoulder, pressuring his body lower until he's on his knees on the floor of the home in which they're staying. The food that Wooyoung was making seems to be forgotten about as all Wooyoung hears is the sound of his mate's zipper going down.

"I think this might influence my decision in us going," He smiles widely, stroking down the side of Wooyoung's face as they keep each other's gaze locked.

After dinner, Wooyoung is cleaning up and drying all the dishes he had used in preparation for their meal. A smile is spread across his face, thinking about the adventure that learning about Chrysalis will be. Sunghee finally gave into Wooyoung after he treated him to one of his favorite acts, and Wooyoung couldn't be more thrilled.

They'll have to begin packing soon since it will likely take a few days to travel all the way to Chrysalis. Wooyoung isn't even sure where they're staying at the current moment since they have been having to travel a lot to aid Essence and Bloodbane from the aftermath of the attack.

Wooyoung can only assume they're on grounds somewhere between the two packs, being almost the furthest they could be from Chrysalis. It's going to be quite the journey over there, but Wooyoung is confident in his survival abilities. With Sunghee coming with him, he's also a famed fighter from Riverside, so he's in good hands he thinks.

Wooyoung's been working on his relationship with Sunghee ever since they were first mated. Although, it has been tough with all of the travelings they've had to do because of this war and with Sunghee being from Riverside's head alpha's family. Sunghee has always been a cruel and brutal man. Wooyoung knew this even before they were mated because of how he would treat Yeosang back when they had classes.

Yeosang...

Wooyoung hasn't seen Yeosang since the day they were assigned their mates. Not a day has gone by where he doesn't think about his childhood best friend, though. There have been times where he's wanted to forget about Yeosang and the strong feelings he had for him, but he just can't do it. He can't help but wonder how life would've been if he had actually confessed to him.

Of course, nothing would've changed... Riverside only allows alpha/omega or beta/beta mates and with Wooyoung and Yeosang both being omegas, it would have never mattered. They couldn't be together, so there was no point in ruining his life-long friendship with Yeosang by telling him how he's felt about him since he entered his teen years.

Wooyoung often wonders how Yeosang's relationship with Dongwoo is. It might make him jealous when he first thinks about it, but it ultimately ends up in Wooyoung smiling at the thought of Yeosang having a beautiful and loving relationship with someone that has a genuine and pure interest in him.

Wooyoung longs to see his best friend again... It hurts having to be away from him for so long. He doesn't think he's ever spent more than a few days without him before, so this entire situation is new.

Wooyoung's life quite literally changed before his eyes after being mated to Sunghee.

Sunghee is still the same asshole he was when they were younger, but Wooyoung's learned to tame him in some ways. He's been relatively responsive when Wooyoung doesn't want certain things. One of those things being pups. They've compromised to wait a few years before taking Wooyoung off of his suppressants, which Wooyoung is thankful for.

He's never been one to have the strongest desire in having pups of his own, but that could just be because he's been on his suppressants for so long.

Wooyoung's thoughts are interrupted but Sunghee's low voice, "Woo, the sink is about to overflow."

Wooyoung bites his lip at the nickname once again and turns off the water quickly. He doesn't think he will ever get used to it coming from him, but he knows he's going to have to get used to it eventually.

Baby steps...

Sunghee comes up and wraps his arms around Wooyoung's waist in a more comforting way than before. He's always like this after he gets what he wants, "Come on baby, you can do that later. Why don't we pack for our trip?"

Wooyoung hums in agreeance and relaxes back into his mate. It's already been a year, but he's still not used to this kind of life. He thought having a mate would be much different than what it really is. He's idolized mated couples since he was a young child, but he's realizing that maybe he was only so excited because at the time he still wanted to believe his mate could be Yeosang.

**End of Chapter Thirteen**

\------------------------------------

I believe I used the trigger warning correctly... I've never had to use it before, but I thought that a certain scene with Wooyoung and Sunghee could be seen as dubious. I'd rather keep my readers safe than sorry. 

Are you excited for the gathering? :) I'm really excited, personally XD Everyone is going to be together in the same place~! Be ready for some spiciness and drama, mwahahaha.

I was originally going to have a mini-break after the arcs completed, but a GIANT wave of ideas came over me for Horizon, so here we are. Jumping right in.


	16. Chapter Fourteen

San's running through the forest, unable to stop smiling at the fact that in just a few days he will be setting foot on the grounds of his fated mate's home. Ever since San received that letter inviting him to Chrysalis to learn about their ways of life, his mind has been filled with thoughts of Seonghwa.

After Seonghwa's departure last year, he's all San has been thinking about. His fated mate, his future lover. One fact he can't forget, however, was how much Seonghwa denied the clear reality of the two of them being meant for each other in every sense of the meaning. San knows that when he arrives at the grounds of Chrysalis, he's going to do everything in his power to get Seonghwa to recognize and accept him as his fated mate.

Seonghwa has a hard shell closing himself off from the outside world, but San intends to break that shell down. However hellacious those efforts may be, San knows he's going to be able to see a new side to Seonghwa throughout this month-long visit.

There's a lot awaiting him in Chrysalis, and San isn't going to let this pass him by.

San has been traveling ever since receiving the letter, having packed as fast as he could after speaking to the elders of his pack about the opportunity. The elders pushed for San to go, telling him how it's about time he finally gets out of Eclipse grounds for once. San felt bad about having to leave his pack, but when his elders said how much he stays there to care for everyone, he realized that he really has always just stayed in Eclipse. He's been content in staying there with no real reason to leave... not until now, that is.

San slows his running down to a brisk walk as he approaches a small stream, happy to take a break for a drink after such a long time spent running.

" _I really needed this,"_ San thinks time himself as he laps up the freshwater from the stream. He rests himself down into a sitting position but is soon brought back up into attention when he senses a presence in the area around him.

" _Who's here?"_ San thinks, beginning to walk towards the presence.

Soon, San spots a pair of wolves walking towards him and the stream. He wonders what two males of alpha and omega descent are doing out here. Could they be mates? San stands his ground, not wanting to shift back into his human form to speak to them until he's felt out the situation.

Yeosang nudges his head into Dongwoo's side, " _Dongwoo, someone else is here. Do you feel it?"_

Dongwoo hums lowly, as to show his mate that yes he does feel it and that he will protect him.

Yeosang and Dongwoo have been traveling for a while now. After Dongwoo received that letter from Chrysalis inviting him and his mate to their grounds to learn about their values, they began packing that night and left the following morning. Yeosang has been excited about the prospect of learning more about the other packs around them and Dongwoo shared his interest. They're both looking forward to spending the month there together.

" _Don't worry, Yeo. Just stay behind me a bit and we will check it out together, okay?"_ Dongwoo sends to him in a calm voice, as to not worry Yeosang.

Yeosang returns him a nod and backs up a few steps to where he's now closer to Dongwoo's rear, a more safe place for him to be if they were to come across danger.

San stands down, kneeling in front of the two wolves approaching him. He's hoping by doing this, he will show himself as no threat even though he's an alpha. San is an optimistic person by nature, so he is wanting to become these two boys' friend.

Dongwoo and Yeosang are within six feet of the black colored alpha when they watch him kneel to the ground.

" _What is he doing?"_ Yeosang questions, taking glances at the black wolf from behind his mate's cover.

" _I believe he's showing us that he means no harm, darling. I don't feel any malicious intent coming from him either, so he seems friendly,"_ Dongwoo says, assessing the situation at hand as he reassures his mate through everything he's saying.

" _Should we shift so we're able to speak with him?"_ Yeosang hesitantly asks, knowing it could be risky, but he has faith in his mate saying that the alpha seems harmless. Taking a further glance at him, he sees a pretty white patch of fur going down his profile.

_"Yeo, you're so trusting..."_ Dongwoo says with a bit of worry in his voice, knowing if he weren't here that Yeosang would've already shifted and begun speaking to the stranger.

Yeosang nuzzles his muzzle into Dongwoo's hind leg, " _I know with you by my side it, I'll be safe."_

Dongwoo pats the ground with his paw to alert San they're going to be back. The mated pair go behind a tree together and shift back into their human form, dressing in clothes they packed from their backpack.

San sees the two male wolves go behind and a tree and he assumes they're going to shift, so San goes and does the same. He didn't sense any hostility in their actions, but he knows for sure that the two are mates now that he's seen the way the alpha male treats his omega. It makes him smile to himself in hopes that one day his relationship with Seonghwa might get to that point.

When San makes his way out from behind the tree after changing into some clothing, he sees the pair standing close to one another. A taller man with dark hair similar to his coating when he was a wolf, and a smaller man with a lighter brown shade tinting his hair. So it is true that your wolf's fur coat and your hair color are the same for every pack, San observes.

"Hello," San says and he bows since he's unsure of their positions within their pack and all-around just to be polite.

Yeosang smiles at the alpha, holding onto Dongwoo's arm for comfort. He looks up towards him and he nods.

"My name is Dongwoo, and this here is my mate Yeosang. What is your name and where are you headed?" Dongwoo says, keeping his confidence high.

Yeosang unconsciously rubs his fingers along Dongwoo's arm, finding it quite entertaining how protective he gets when around unfamiliar people. Dongwoo is normally upbeat and cheerful, always having a smile on his face and ready to take on the world, so not much changes except his dominance becomes more apparent in these situations.

"I'm Choi San, it's nice to meet you two. I'm on my way to Chrysalis, actually. They're holding a learning program and I was one of the ones chosen to join in," San explains as he goes and sits down on a large rock by the stream, "What about you two?"

Yeosang's eyes widened with surprise, "We're going to Chrysalis too! Perhaps we could travel there together?" He asks with a bright smile on his face, slightly looking up to his mate for approval.

Dongwoo's face lights up when he hears his mate's excitement. Yeosang was always so timid when they were first mated, but they warmed up to each other quickly since they weren't complete strangers from one another. Dongwoo always had the biggest crush on Yeosang all throughout their schooling days, so of course, when he saw 'Kang Yeosang' printed on his paper after his blood work, he knew his choice for a mate right away.

San nods, "That sounds like a plan to me. If we're all traveling together, that would make it much safer too. We shouldn't run into many problems, as we only have... hmm..." San trails off as he looks up to the sky, "I would say about a day and a half, maybe two days left?"

Dongwoo motions for them to go sit and they sit on a nearby rock with San, "That's what I was thinking as well," he chuckles, "So how's your journey been so far? Run into any trouble?" Dongwoo asks with interest in his tone, hoping to make a new friend.

Yeosang sits with his head leaning against Dongwoo's arm, his hand resting on top of the one that's on his leg.

"No trouble for me, until you two came along," San smirks, his voice playful as he jokes with the two boys.

"Oh yeah, I'd say we're a pretty troublesome pair, wouldn't you say, Yeo?" Dongwoo smiles and turns his face down to Yeosang's, nuzzling his nose to his mate's in a cute fashion.

"As troublesome as two lovers can get," Yeosang shyly replies, his cheeks turning rosy from their display of affection in front of San.

San smiles longingly at the pair, "Having a mate seems like the most wonderful thing in the world, doesn't it?"

Yeosang perks up at the question and mentioning of mates, "Do you not have a mate yet, San?" He asks as he examines his neck for a mark, not finding one.

San lays back on the rock to gaze up at the beautiful blue sky, "Well... I do have a mate, but it's rather complicated. He's quite hard-headed and I haven't seen him in what feels like a very long time," San sighs, his mind once again filling up with thoughts of Seonghwa, "I think I'll get him to accept me one day, though. I'm not going to quit until I finally get through to him..."

Yeosang's eyes shine at San's words about his mate, and for some reason it makes him think of Wooyoung when he says that he hasn't seen his mate in a very long time. It's been about a year since Yeosang last saw his best friend, and about a year since his best friend basically gave him his one chance of happiness. Yeosang looks up at Dongwoo, his chance.

Dongwoo does make Yeosang happy. He would even go as far as to say he's come to love the alpha he's mated to, but he's never lost those feelings he felt for Wooyoung so long ago. His mind can't help but wonder the dreaded 'what if?' that invades his mind when thinking about him.

"I see you have no mating mark, San... So, that means you two are not technically mates?" Dongwoo questions with a bit of confusion.

"You see, that's what I mean by our relationship is complicated..."

"So you love him, but he doesn't love you?" Dongwoo asks bluntly.

San's heart feels a sudden ache when he gets asked that question, the word 'love' seemingly causing stinging reactions all over him. No, San doesn't love Seonghwa. Not yet, anyway... But San knows that they're fated to be together. They're connected on a plain that people who don't have fated mates could never understand or relate properly to. Even though San doesn't love Seonghwa, he knows that it's still there, boiling inside him until the pot is eventually going to overflow. The longing, the yearning to be by his side, is going to continue to wreak havoc in San's soul until... Well, San doesn't know what will happen... But it can't be good for either one of them.

That's why San has to push through and try his very best. For Seonghwa, and for himself.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to strike a chord with that question," Dongwoo says after San's long lull where there should've been a reply.

"No, no... It's okay. It's just a hard question for me to find a real answer to right now. How about I let you know whenever I figure it out?" San suggests, sitting back up to look at the pair.

Dongwoo and Yeosang nod in unison, both of them looking forward to their new friend eventually getting his mate.

After some more discussion of each other's lives, the three of them shift back into their wolf form and begin to run towards Chrysalis, continuing on their journey.

Their travels go as planned for the rest of the day, but when they're only a few hours outside of Chrysalis, they run into a bit of an issue.

San, Dongwoo, and Yeosang all look at each other when they sense hostility in the area they're heading towards, sending two alphas. San catches a glance at Yeosang, knowing with bad intent lying ahead, Yeosang should stay back with his mate. San nods his head towards the area head, motioning to let the couple that he will walk in front of them to check it out.

As San inches closer, two large wolves come into view, seemingly standing off against one another. He watches the two wolves walk around in a circle growling and staring at each other. San expects what happens next, but it still makes his eyes widen when the two wolves lunge at each other. It looks like they're about to rip each other's necks out, so San rushes up to them in an attempt to stop them.

Jongho couldn't think of worse possible luck than the situation he found himself in when he figured out that Hongjoong also received a letter from Chrysalis. Nightshade's head alpha, Daesung, found the circumstance amusing and encouraged the two boys to travel together. There's no reason they wouldn't travel together, right?

Until it ultimately leads to what the two of them being together always does.

A fight.

Hongjoong can't remember what exactly prompted the standoff they're in right now, but he can't calm down this rising anger within him. Jongho always seems to make Hongjoong's blood boil. In a quick flash, Jongho and Hongjoong launch at each other.

The rivals are so caught up in each other and themselves that they don't even notice the trio of men coming upon them through the forest. There are so many intense and grueling growls coming from the opponents that they howl loudly when they're torn apart by a mysterious back-coated alpha.

San's eyes are furious as he whips his head between the two men that were once fighting.

Hongjoong is surprised to see this alpha he doesn't know come between himself and Jongho, but he's semi-glad he did. They're away from Nightshade and the last thing either of them needs is to be sent back home before they've even arrived at Chrysalis.

Jongho bears his teeth to the new alpha and to Hongjoong, still filled with anger, but his anger soon subsides when he sees another pair standing off to the side. Jongho identifies them as another alpha and an omega. The omega is buried in the alphas' arms, so Jongho's instinct is to assume they're mates.

San maintains his strong stance between the two alphas, keeping them separated from each other while they take a breather and calm down.

" _Dongwoo, does everything look okay...?_ " Yeosang asks nervously through his and Dongwoo's pack link.

" _I think it's going to be okay, Yeo. San is handling it as well as he can. Just stay here with me,_ " Dongwoo reassures, keeping a comforting hold on his mate.

San waits for the two men to completely cool down before motioning for them both to come together.

Hongjoong and Jongho slowly take steps towards the alpha between them, not breaking their fierce gaze they both hold.

" _Now look at what you've done, you hellion,"_ Hongjoong curses through his pack link to Jongho, his top lip snarling up as the two alphas communicate.

" _What I've done? What about what you've done!? I can't believe Daesung made us actually travel together. He knew what this would potentially cause,"_ Jongho mutters.

_"He's trying to make us get along, and there's honestly just no use. You'll never back down, will you?"_ Hongjoong pushes on, " _You're such a pain in the neck sometimes, Jongho. I know you're only two years below me, but god do you act like five. Not everything has to result in a battle, don't you get it?"_

_"The only thing I don't get is if you think you're so much more mature than I am, then why do you always retaliate? Why do you always end up in the same position as me? It takes two to have a fight,"_ Jongho growls.

San growls loudly as he watches the two men walk closer to one another, knowing they're speaking through a bond or a pack link. Based on their build, San assumes that they're from the same pack. Then why were they fighting like that...?

" _You always bring the worst out of me, Jongho. You always have,"_ Hongjoong says, wishing to end this conversation as soon as possible. He doesn't have to wait long before the alpha between them growls loudly.

Hongjoong and Jongho both halt where they are and break eye contact, instead, turning to look up at the wolf in the middle.

San pats the ground in one quick motion, hoping they know the signal to shift. After his action, he goes back to Dongwoo and Yeosang, lifting his head towards one of the trees to show them he is going to shift to be able to talk to the two men.

San goes behind the tree and shifts, putting on his clothes in order to greet the hostile pair properly.

Just what has he gotten himself into this time?

**End of Chapter Fourteen**


	17. Chapter Fifteen

"What are we going to do Min?" Yunho looks up at his soulmate as he swirls his fingertip in circles on Mingi's chest, his eyes filled with confusion.

Mingi gently runs his hands through Yunho's fluffy locks, eventually settling his hand further down so he can cup his lover's face, "I'm just worried they're going to get suspicious about you, or about us, if we go... What if something bad were to happen and your--" Mingi pauses mid-sentence to lower his voice to a whisper, "and your powers act up again...? Besides, Chrysalis has extremely strict rules and our relationship clearly goes against them."

Yunho's face falls when Mingi mentions the possibility of Yunho possessing magical abilities. Nothing like this ever happened to him before he met Mingi, and it's been hard to keep his newfound abilities at bay when he sees new reasons to use them.

Ever since they found each other last year, Yunho and Mingi have been inseparable, conjoined at the hip, even. They truly were meant to be in every way. Together, they were able to end the war Mingi's pack, Bloodbane, was trying to set onto Essence, Yunho's pack. Yunho managed to show Mingi's father Minseok that Essence was completely magic-free and that they were harmless. He only wished he could've gotten there sooner that day that Essence's head alpha was torn to shreds by no other than Mingi's father. This fate ultimately ended up in Yunho and Mingi becoming closer since both of the boys' packs didn't think much of the other boy. They had to protect each other.

There was no real magic left within Essence.

Or so the pair thought...

It all came to fruition when Mingi came back to Yunho from a hunt he went on with a bunch of alphas from his pack badly injured and Yunho healed him by just touching the wounded skin. He hadn't meant to, he was simply just seeing how bad the laceration really was.

When Yunho placed his hand over the wound, it healed right beneath him and both men were shocked with what they just witnessed. Yunho began to freak out and became afraid that Mingi would do something to him or leave him right then and there, but Mingi reacted just the opposite.

Mingi was adamant about them both keeping this secret between only the two of them and Mingi became even more protective over his mate than he was before, and that's saying something because Mingi already would almost never leave Yunho's side. Yunho trusted Mingi's every word, but the fear still rose inside of him at the possibility of someone else finding out.

This secret brought the two men closer together since they both knew they could never let the truth get out, not even to their own families.

Yunho thought for a long time about what the possible outcomes of them going to Chrysalis might be, but he still wanted to go. He turned up his puppy-dog face to the maximum and began to beg to his mate, "Please, Min? I promise nothing will happen, I'll keep them calm..." Yunho placed loving kisses all over Mingi's face and neck, "I've been trying to train myself when you're away hunting."

Mingi hums lowly as Yunho's soft lips against his skin tempt him into agreeance, "But what if-" Mingi's voice is cut off by Yunho taking his lips in his own, into an impassioned and addictive kiss that Mingi's not sure he will ever get used to. The way Yunho's lips linger on Mingi's makes him feel more alive than he's ever felt. This has been the feeling Mingi has waited for his whole life and he would never let it go now.

"It'll be fun, Min..." Yunho whispers, his lips brushing across Mingi's as he speaks.

Mingi smirks as he looks deeply into his love's eyes, falling even further into the dark chocolate that colors them, "I think I could show you something more fun," Mingi says in a sultry tone, lifting Yunho up by the back of his thighs to be up further on him. Their chests meet and Mingi immediately ravishes Yunho's neck, taking in his intoxicating lemon scent.

Yunho lets out a soft moan as he feels Mingi suck on his neck, leaving the love marks he enjoys to see on him so much.

"We could write them a letter back explaining our relationship and see if they still want us to come," Yunho suggests before anything can get heavier. He feels his wolf growling within him to give in to his mate, wanting to feel Mingi's electrifying touch all over his skin. Yunho takes a deep breath in an attempt to calm down his wolf even a little bit.

Mingi leads his kisses back up to Yunho's mouth, giving him one last taste before he pulls back and rests their foreheads together, "Fine, but we're only going if they accept us as we are."

Yunho smiles and nods once, happy that they finally came to a compromise, "I love you."

"I love you, Yunho," Mingi smiles back, rubbing up and down Yunho's back affectionately. Oh how he adores to show his mate just how much he appreciates him and loves him.

After a few letters back and forth between the pair and Chrysalis, it's revealed that those specific values are only to be held up by members of Chrysalis and he cannot expect all packs to conform to the customs and values they solely hold. Gyungho explains he is merely calling upon them to come and _learn_ about Chrysalis and why they have these certain rules.

Due to these letters exchanged between the two, Yunho and Mingi will be arriving considerably late to the gathering of the packs. They hope that by the time they arrive that they didn't miss anything too incredibly important.

**~**

Seonghwa goes with his father to the buildings they had been setting up in anticipation for their guests' arrival that's happening later in the day. There are two buildings, one for the women to stay in, and one for the men to stay in. They look similar on the interior, having a resting area for them all to relax with each other, and rooms for sleeping.

Gyungho knows that there's going to be mated couples coming, so he made sure there were separate rooms for only those couples. The rest of the men and women will be staying in group rooms where many beds are set up with the ability to close a curtain around them for extended privacy if they so wish.

Seonghwa observes the insides of the buildings, admiring how much care his mother and father put into them, wanting to make their guests as comfortable as they possibly could.

"They look nice, father," Seonghwa praises.

Gyungho lets himself show a smile, "Your mother and I did our best. I trust that with you in the lessons our guests will be in that everything will go smoothly as well. Isn't that right, son?"

"Yes, father."

"Perhaps you'll be able to befriend a few of them," Gyungho suggests, having noticed how even more distant his son has become ever since Dohyon was mated off and since Areum's been ill. He knows his son's never been much of a people person, but he's only seen that worsen with everything that's gone on.

He wants more than anything for his son to be happy and to see a smile on his face for once. The more he thinks about it, he's not sure if he's seen Seonghwa smile since his adolescence years.

Gyungho and Hyejin have done their best to raise their children up full of happiness, but Seonghwa's life has been a bit... more difficult due to him being born as an omega. Gyungho treated him as similarly as he could to Dohyon and Areum, but Seonghwa is the first male omega Chrysalis has seen in generations. Wolves with Chrysalis blood in them just don't give birth to omega males and alpha females.

This is why Chrysalis has that rule in place for their members, just to keep everything consistent for them all.

It was almost like a miracle when the Han family gave birth to their daughter, Eunji, an alpha female. Eunji and Seonghwa's destiny has basically been decided their entire lives based on the rules Chrysalis lives by.

Eunji and Seonghwa are meant to be mates.

Seonghwa stays silent after his father suggests he makes friends with their new guests, shifting his eyes away. He'd much rather not make friends with them, Seonghwa is content as he is now. He's content with being alone.

"From the names we chose, there are many that are around your age, Seonghwa. Please try to be friendly with them, okay son?" Gyungho smiles down at his son, having a hopeful look in his eyes.

Gyungho is glad that Eunji is such an outgoing girl. He has high hopes that eventually she will be able to get Seonghwa to be more cheerful, but he's seen how uninterested Seonghwa seems whenever she's around. Sigh... Gyungho doesn't know what to do. Hyejin would be better at this type of thing, he thinks.

Seonghwa nods once, staying quiet as he wanders off back towards their housing building.

Gyungho did not tell his children the names of the people coming to join in on their lessons, so Seonghwa doesn't even think about the possibility of San coming. In fact, he's done everything in his power to keep the alpha out of his mind completely over the past year.

Seonghwa never once brought the man he met last year up to anyone. He shoved everything that had to do with San deep down within himself, wanting to seal that part of himself off from anyone and everyone.

Seonghwa didn't think anyone suspected a thing about him and San. That is, until his mother pulled him aside one night before bed and asked him how he was doing and feeling. Seonghwa didn't think anything of it at first, as she didn't mention the alpha male from Eclipse.

Hyejin was baiting him to see if he would bring him up first.

He didn't.

~

"Seonghwa, come here, honey," Hyejin says in a motherly tone, leading Seonghwa off to the side where they're able to take a seat together on a group of rocks.

Seonghwa sits down across from her, his eyes lingering on the rest of their family that are getting ready for bed, "Is everything okay, mother?"

Hyejin keeps her smile up as she sits down with her son, "Everything's okay. I just wanted to check on you and see how you were doing with the long trip. I know it's been stressful on all of us since this isn't like our usual journey."

Seonghwa thinks for a moment, looking up at the deep blue night sky. They had just left Riverside, which they went to immediately after leaving Eclipse, so Seonghwa's mind is still wanting to unwillingly think of San. He's been pushing his emotions and feelings about it ever since they left the Eclipse grounds. Seonghwa's been scolding himself every night for turning around to look back at San when they were leaving.

Why did he have to look back...?

"I've been okay for the most part. I'm worried about Areum, though," Seonghwa states truthfully, not lying to his mother, but also not telling her about what happened back in Eclipse.

"I am too, dear, but she's our strong girl. She just has a bit of a cold," Hyejin reassures, trying to ease Seonghwa's worries about his sister. She studies Seonghwa's face, looking for anything that might indicate he's troubled, "Is that all? You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Seonghwa lets out a quiet sigh, keeping his head looking up at the stars, "Well..." He starts, thinking about telling his mother about what's been stuck on his mind, "I think that's all, mother."

Seonghwa decides to stay quiet about the confusing situation that he had with San.

Hyejin nods, knowing she shouldn't pry any longer. If he was going to bring up that alpha boy from Eclipse, he would've by now. Hyejin trusts that her son wouldn't break any of the Chrysalis pack rules, but she says what she does anyway, "I just want you to keep our pack rules in mind, alright, honey?"

Seonghwa feels a pang in his chest when he hears those words come out of his mother's mouth. Did she... know something about him and San? Seonghwa turned his head to look back at his mother, but she was already on her way back to where the rest of their family was.

The words his mother said echo in Seonghwa's mind.

The pack rules...

Seonghwa knew right then that he is to never speak about or think about San ever again. He's going to have to rid that Eclipse boy from his mind. Seonghwa is about to get up to head back as well, but he suddenly gets an intense pain in his stomach, causing him to hunch over.

He groans in agony, breathing heavily as he clutches onto his stomach through his robe. The pain subsides in a minute or so, but Seonghwa is still scared of why it happened. Is he okay? He then remembers the circumstances and understands that he's going to be having these sharp pains for as long as he's away from San. They're going to be something he has to get used to.

He's never going to see San again anyway.

~

Those words have haunted Seonghwa, knowing his mother knew something, so he's been on his best behavior ever since then.

Seonghwa shakes off his thoughts, opening the door to his home and immediately going to his bedroom to await the arrival of their guests later that evening.

Seonghwa, Gyungho, and Hyejin all are getting ready to head to the welcoming of their newest guests. Areum thought she would be up to going and seeing everyone, but she had one of her fits soon after Seonghwa got home this morning and has no decided to stay home. Seonghwa promised that he would tell her all about it when they get back.

San is smiling with his newfound friends: Yeosang, Dongwoo, Jongho, and Hongjoong. After settling everything between Hongjoong and Jongho, they all became good friends on the rest of their trip to Chrysalis. Hongjoong and Jongho always had small bickerings, but with the other three around them, it helped them not go full-on and actually fight like they were when they all first met.

"San, are you okay? You've been staring up at that podium since we got here," Yeosang asks, worrying about his new friend.

San smiles when he hears Yeosang's question, "I'm more than okay," He says as he watches the Park family coming up on the stage, "I feel absolutely incredible, in fact."

San's eyes light up with intensity immediately after seeing Seonghwa come out from behind his parents and stand beside them, his chest heating up like it's on fire. The feeling he's been missing for a year has finally come back. San's wolf is screaming for San to go to his mate, to envelop him in his arms and never let him leave his side ever again.

Yeosang's surprised when he sees San's turn a deep red upon seeing the Park's son come into view, so he nudges Dongwoo, making him look at San. Dongwoo chuckles when he sees the red in San's eyes, trailing to where he's looking and he sees the male omega up on the stage.

Is this San's mate...?

Seonghwa stands next to his parents as they welcome all of their guests and he finds himself scanning the large group of people in front of them. He's been feeling a bit odd ever since this morning and he couldn't put his finger on it, but his heart feels like it completely stops when his eyes fall onto the certain alpha he met last year in Eclipse.

San...

His fated mate...

He's standing right there among all of the other guests, but Seonghwa's eyes were instantly drawn to him and now they're both completely caught up in each other's gaze. Seonghwa feels his wolf humming within him and he knows his eyes have gone a slightly golden color.

Seonghwa is brought back down to the real world when his father announces his name, telling the guests that Seonghwa will be joining their lessons and that he will be more than happy to help anyone that needs it.

Seonghwa snaps out of it and does a single nod after his father's speech, feeling himself becoming angry with his fists wanting to clench.

What is _he_ doing here?

Yeosang was looking towards San as he listened, but someone behind San caught his eye, drawing him in. His heart starts to pound when he sees his best friend standing there among the crowd. His eyes can't help but water the longer he looks at him.

Wooyoung...?

**End of Chapter Fifteen**


	18. Chapter Sixteen

"We're going to be holding a large meal in the dining hall to welcome all of you. The meal will be at 5 PM, we hope to see you all there with empty stomachs," Gyungho says in a friendly manner before all of the Park family bows and exits the stage.

Jongho and Hongjoong already left to go to the building the men are assigned to stay in when San, Yeosang, and Dongwoo turn to ask them if they want to head there.

"Well, looks like they're already ahead of us," Dongwoo chuckles and puts his arm around Yeosang, leading them to the building with San in tow.

Yeosang nods, unable to help himself from glancing back where he saw his old best friend.

Wooyoung watches as Yeosang looks back at him and he feels a pang in his heart, his breath getting caught in his throat as he looks at the way Yeosang's hair has grown out a bit and is now able to cover his eyes if it were to fall down. He admires the boy that held his heart for so long until he turns his head back around.

Wooyoung is stolen away from his thoughts when Sunghee rubs the small of his back, "Come on, baby. Let's go see where we're staying," Sunghee smirks and starts walking them towards the building.

Wooyoung tries not to look at the back of Yeosang and Dongwoo, but it's no use.

The boys all get settled in the place they'll be staying for the next month while they learn. San, Jongho, and Hongjoong all went to the group room to examine their sleeping situation, while Yeosang and Dongwoo had their own private room since they're mates.

"I'm glad that they gave us our own room," Yeosang smiles as he sits on the bed in the middle of their rather small room.

"I am too, I don't want anyone trying to make any moves on my Sangie," Dongwoo chuckles as he sits next to Yeosang, ruffling up his hair.

"H-Huh...?" Yeosang chokes out.

Dongwoo has never called him by 'Sangie' before. That's what Wooyoung used to call him... Yeosang bites his lip and tries to push that out of his mind while he's with Dongwoo. He shouldn't be thinking of his past feelings like that. Especially about someone other than his mate. He feels his wolf growling at him because of these thoughts not being about Dongwoo.

"You're mine," Dongwoo smiles proudly and kisses Yeosang's forehead, "My angel."

Yeosang blushes at Dongwoo's words, "I'm yours and you're mine," Yeosang nuzzles his face into Dongwoo's neck to give love to where he placed his mating mark on him a year ago.

"Your hair looks really nice long like this, Yeo. Have I ever told you that?" Dongwoo hums, biting his lip to withhold his gasps from Yeosang's actions.

"Mmm, I don't think so," Yeosang giggles as he comes up and places a soft kiss on Dongwoo's lips.

This is his mate, Yeosang thinks to himself. He knows he's going to have to interact with him normally through this month that they're all here. Yeosang honestly doesn't think he will have any issue because Wooyoung _is_ his best friend still. It'll be just like how they used to be.

Yeosang never did confess to Wooyoung anyway... He probably doesn't even know Yeosang had those feelings towards him.

It's going to be okay.

Hongjoong snickers when he, Jongho, and San enter the group room they'll be sleeping in, "Looks like we will be spending a lot of time together, eh?"

Jongho scoffs and rolls his eyes, "The last thing I ever wanted was to have to live with you again. This is my worst nightmare happening all over again."

"Come on guys, it's going to be fun. Why do you guys fight so much anyway?" San asks, laying down on one of the beds with his arms behind his head to relax before it's dinner time.

"I'm sure you've noticed, but _he's_ insufferable," Jongho announces, crossing his arms to close himself off.

"And _I'm_ sure you've noticed that he's the one that always starts it," Hongjoong replies, sitting down on a bed across from where San is laying.

San smiles, closing his eyes as he listens to the two men bickering, "You two remind me of this old married couple back in Eclipse."

Jongho makes a disgusted sound, "Ew, why would you say that, man?"

"I just call it like I see it. You two sure you don't have history together?" San asks, a wide smirk coming across his face as he teases them.

Hongjoong makes a fake gagging noise, "You're making me sick," He gets back up from the bed and leaves the group room and goes out to the living area.

San laughs out loud when he hears Hongjoong leave the group room, "Now I can take a nap before dinner."

Jongho side-eyes San, finding a liking in his attitude, "Uh huh, I'll wake you up."

Later that evening, Seonghwa is sitting with his sister Areum in her room chatting with her about the guests that arrived earlier today.

"So father and mother are hosting a dinner tonight for them?" Areum asks, a weak smile on her face as she looks at her brother who's sitting in a chair by her bedside.

Seonghwa nods once, letting his sister do most of the talking like he normally does.

"I wish I could go and see everyone... Is Eunji going?"

Seonghwa shrugs, "I'm unsure."

"I can't wait until she's finally in our family. She seems like someone that's perfect to help you get out of that shell you've always been in," She giggles, but it sends her into a coughing fit.

"Everyone keeps telling me that," Seonghwa sighs, looking off out the window in her room.

Areum drinks some water and calms herself back down, "It's true, Seonhgwa. Why don't you like her?"

"I never said I didn't like her."

"You didn't have to," Areum says, "It's quite obvious."

Seonghwa hums as he watches the sun start to go down, seeming a bit more distant than usual.

"Sorry... You just seem off today, brother. Has something happened?" Areum questions, becoming concerned and dropping her playfulness for a moment.

Seonghwa lets himself look back at his sister with unreadable eyes, "I'm unsure."

Areum nods, knowing something is wrong, "Just know you can talk to me about anything," she says, but she wants him to take his time, "Now, go have a nice dinner."

Seonghwa nods, putting a hand on her bed to lift himself up and he leaves her room without saying anything else. Has something happened? Seonghwa sighs while he begins walking to the dining hall. Yes, something has happened... Seonghwa thinks when he walks into the room, seeing many of the guests sitting around the long table already.

He spots San.

He's surrounded by a few men that he saw standing with him earlier today in the crowd, but he quickly whips his head away, seeing his father coming up to him.

"Seonghwa, come here, you can sit among our guests for tonight. I want for you to mingle," Gyungho smiles, leading him to a seat and Seonghwa sits down in the spot his father put him in, nodding.

He mentally curses at himself when he looks in front of him and sees San sitting right across from him.

Just his luck.

San's been feeling a mix of emotions in his body ever since he arrived in Chrysalis, so he didn't think anything of it when it started acting up now. He's soon surprised when he goes to turn to his other side to talk to Yeosang and Dongwoo and he sees Seonghwa sitting across from him.

San smiles softly at his fated mate, catching his gaze for a moment before Seonghwa looks away from him.

"Seonghwa," His name escapes San's mouth, leaving an even wider smile on his face.

Seonghwa feels compelled to look back at him when he hears San call his name, meeting his deep brown eyes once again, "Hello," Seonghwa tries to be civil, knowing it would seem suspect if he were to just not respond to the man.

San plays with his utensils as he continues to look into his fated mate's eyes, "You look wonderful tonight."

Seonghwa's eyes widen at San's sudden confession, feeling his ears turn red from the embarrassing statement. He grits his teeth and looks down to his plate, hating how he felt so trapped in San's presence. His wolf begs for him to look back up at San, but Seonghwa refuses, pushing his wolf's desires down like he has been for the past year.

San hums contently, letting his head rest on his hand as he takes in the sweet aroma of lavender he knows his fated mate is giving off. Yeosang nudges Dongwoo to look at what's going on, as there's clear tension in the room. When Yeosang brings his head back around, he sees Wooyoung and Sunghee sitting in front of them, beside Seonghwa. Wooyoung is seated in front of Yeosang and Sunghee in front of Dongwoo.

Jongho and Hongjoong come soon after and sit down on either side of the table, Hongjoong beside Dongwoo and Jongho beside Sunghee.

The meal starts once everyone arrives and soon, everyone's plates are full and they're having a good time eating and talking amongst each other.

Except for Yeosang and Wooyoung.

Dongwoo and Sunghee are busy talking and getting to know the people next to them, leaving Yeosang and Wooyoung to sit silently across from one another, exchanging glances every now and then.

Why is it so awkward between them...?

Yes, the two of them haven't seen each other since the day they were mated off, but they were best friends for so long. Why has it gotten to this point? To the point where they cannot even figure out words to say to one another?

Yeosang nervously looks over to San, only to see him still looking towards the Park's omega boy across from him. He's unsure of what to say, but he doesn't want to sit through this meal in silence.

"Is that him?" Yeosang manages a whisper to San, hoping to not alert the boy San's been staring at.

San breaks the contact with Seonghwa when he hears Yeosang's voice, looking over to the boy with a smile, "Hmm?" He questions, not having heard the question very clearly.

"The mate you were talking about. Is that him?" Yeosang motions over towards Seonghwa with his eyes and when he does that, he sees San nod once, about to say something back when they hear the sound of a chair scooting back and someone standing.

It's Seonghwa.

"I'm going to excuse myself," Seonghwa says to the table and bows before leaving the dining hall.

"Seonghwa, you're going to miss dessert," Hyejin chimes in, but her son has already left, so she sighs as she sits back down, "Dessert is his favorite..."

The gears in San's mind start turning when he hears Seonghwa's mother say that. He has a plan.

Hongjoong has been getting along with Dongwoo really well since they have similar rankings within their packs.

"I've been trying to land the spot of head alpha, actually," Hongjoong says proudly and Dongwoo seems impressed. He knows he will never be the head alpha of Riverside, but he's content with that. He'd much rather just be with Yeosang and focus all of his time on that.

From across the table, Jongho scoffs, "Like you'd get the position."

Wooyoung turns at the words, knowing they seemed like fighting words. Do these two already have beef with each other? Wooyoung looks down at his empty plate, waiting for the dessert to be brought out so he will have something to do again.

Sunghee puts his hand on Wooyoung's thigh and squeezes tightly, "It'll be out soon, baby," he whispers to him. This causes Wooyoung's face to turn a deep shade of red, feeling embarrassed at him saying that right in front of Yeosang. Why should he care, though? Sunghee is his mate.

Yeosang's eyes widen when he sees this take place, feeling his stomach begin to ache as he listens to them talk to one another. Yeosang's unable to take his eyes off the couple, especially when Wooyoung turns his head over to look at Sunghee and reveals his reddish purple-looking marks all over his neck along with the mating mark.

They're... Quite rough with each other, Yeosang thinks to himself, trying to look away from the scene, but he can't. He doesn't like seeing what he's seeing but something inside of him refuses to let him look away. Yeosang knows he would never be _that_ rough with Wooyoung... God, what is he thinking? He would never be with Wooyoung like that in the first place to even be thinking such things.

Yeosang's wolf is getting angry at him the more thoughts he has about Wooyoung, just like earlier today when he saw him for the first time in a year. Dongwoo seems to sense something is wrong, so he gently takes Yeosang's hand in his and gives it a small squeeze to let him know he's there.

Yeosang's heart aches terribly as he feels his mate's hand in his, while he's staring at another. Yeosang feels the strong conflict within himself. His mind, or rather, his wolf, is saying one thing while his heart is saying another. He's learning to despise this feeling, begging for something to distract himself with.

His prayers are soon answered when the dessert arrives.

Finally, Yeosang thinks.

Hongjoong and Jongho calmed their bickering down after remembering they're eating with the leaders of Chrysalis. They _cannot_ be doing this here.

After those few days when Hongjoong and Jongho were locked up together in the training building, and after... that night... they've seemed to be at each other's throats even more. They never once spoke about what happened that night to anyone. They never brought it up to each other, either. They both seemed to have collectively agreed that whatever happened that night to stay a secret they'll keep for the rest of their lives.

They remember how Daesung laughed when he heard of the two alphas both getting letters to come to Chrysalis, and he was quick to send them off. He's been trying to knock some sense into the two of them for much too long, so he's hoping by sending them off to Chrysalis, they'll have a better chance of rehabilitating their relationship.

When the dessert is served, San keeps his uneaten and puts a napkin over it while he talks with all of the others until they're finished their desserts and decide to go back to their building.

They're all sitting in the living area before going to bed, San sitting with his covered plate, Yeosang and Dongwoo cuddled up on the left side of the couch while Wooyoung and Sunghee are on the other side, Sunghee's face hidden in Wooyoung's neck. Hongjoong and Jongho went to bed early, saying they were both in food comas.

San chuckles at the couple on the right side of the couch, "I think you two need to get back to your room, don't you think?"

Wooyoung hums in embarrassment as Sunghee continues to kiss and suck on his neck, having to bite his lip every time he brushes against his mating mark so he doesn't make too much noise.

"I like showing my baby Woo how much I love him after dinner," Sunghee says, getting a bit muffled against Wooyoung's neck.

Wooyoung flinches at the nickname as he always does and his eyes trail off over to Yeosang, seeing him already looking.

Yeosang is surprised by how different Wooyoung seems now that he's with Sunghee. Wooyoung's always been such a confident and outspoken individual, but now... He's flipped a complete 180 degrees. Yeosang begins to worry for Wooyoung, wondering why he isn't like he's always been.

Has Sunghee changed him?

San stands up and excuses himself, "I'll see you all tomorrow," he says before heading to the door to leave the building.

"Where are you going, San?" Yeosang asks quickly, wondering if he's going where he thinks.

San smiles longingly, "I'm going to see someone..." He clutches the covered plate of dessert and leaves, walking towards the building where the Park's stay.

Once San leaves, Sunghee stands up and takes Wooyoung's arm a bit more aggressively than Yeosang or even Dongwoo would like to see, "Come on, baby, let's go to our room."

Wooyoung smiles up to his mate and nods, standing up with him, not seeming bothered by the grasp.

Yeosang and Dongwoo watch them enter their room and close the door, both of them looking at each other when the couple is gone.

"They're... an interesting match," Dongwoo says, unable to think of anything else to say.

Yeosang nods, restraining from looking too long at the door where Wooyoung and his mate just went into, "I guess so."

Dongwoo smiles and ruffles Yeosang's hair as he stands up, "You know I'd never be that rough with my Yeo, right?" He says, picking Yeosang up in a bridal carry, holding him securely as he walks them to their own room.

San finally gets to the door he narrowed down to be Seonghwa's and he quietly knocks on it. While waiting for an answer, he looks down at the covered dessert, hoping it hasn't gotten too cold from the night air.

After a few moments, the door slides open to reveal Seonghwa.

Seonghwa's eyes widen when he sees San at his bedroom door and looks down at his hands.

Did he bring him dessert...?

**End of Chapter Sixteen**


	19. Chapter Seventeen

Wooyoung slides open the door to go out into the living area that morning, stretching himself out as he walks to sit on one of the couches.

"Good morning."

Wooyoung is a bit startled by the sudden welcoming, rubbing his eyes to see Yeosang sitting across from him on the other couch, "Ah, good morning, Sangie. Did you sleep well?"

Yeosang feels his cheeks heat up at the old nickname, holding onto his legs as he sits crisscrossed, "I-I slept well, did you?" He asks, trailing off as he takes a closer look at Wooyoung's appearance.

He looks utterly wrecked, to say the least.

Wooyoung's loose nightshirt is hanging low beneath his collarbones to give an even better view of the marks Yeosang had seen last night when they got back from dinner. He sees the clearly irritated skin around Wooyoung's wrists, them being more reddened than how they were previously.

It breaks Yeosang's heart to see his best friend like this. What is Sunghee doing to him? Yeosang's mind starts running wild with what he's seen and he can't help but think the worst.

Wooyoung nods, "I slept well, too," he hums, but a confused look comes across his face as he looks at Yeosang. Why does he look scared?

"Woo, are you okay...?" Yeosang asks hesitantly, not knowing how to bring up what he's seeing.

Wooyoung's body eases when he hears that nickname coming from Yeosang's mouth. Oh, how he's missed hearing Yeosang call him so sweetly. He processes the question and tilts his head, "What do you--"

Wooyoung's sentence is cut off by the sound of a sliding door, Sunghee coming out of their room in only his pajama pants. Wooyoung lets out a nervous laugh when he sees his shirtless mate coming towards them, nervous about anyone seeing the scratch marks down Sunghee's back.

"This is where you went," Sunghee chuckles, wrapping his arm around Wooyoung and sitting with him so he can hold his mate, "You know I like to cuddle in the morning, Woo."

Wooyoung's heart strains with the only two men he's had in his life right here with him, tensing up at the nickname and when Sunghee holds onto him in front of Yeosang.

Yeosang senses some tension enter the room as soon as Sunghee comes out, watching him as he holds onto Wooyoung.

He calls Wooyoung 'Woo' too...?

Yeosang bites his lip to hold back from saying anything questionable.

"I know... I'm sorry," Wooyoung looks up into Sunghee's eyes apologetically.

Sunghee nuzzles Wooyoung's nose and gives him a soft kiss, a big difference from how Wooyoung's body looks, "Don't apologize, just don't leave me again."

Yeosang tries to look away, but he feels his breath catch in his throat when he watches Sunghee kiss Wooyoung. He feels his eyes start to well up with tears, but he holds them back. Yeosang knows he shouldn't be feeling like this right now. He knows he had years to reveal his feelings to Wooyoung and he never did. He knows he had every opportunity to kiss Wooyoung himself and he never did.

Yeosang let all of those chances willingly pass him by.

He can't regret them now, can he?

Sunghee pulls back from Wooyoung, still holding him tightly in his arms, but he turns to look at Yeosang, "Hey, I remember you... Kang Yeosang, right?"

Yeosang is startled out of his thoughts and he nods, "That's me..."

"You didn't turn out so bad, did he, Woo?" Sunghee rubs his hand up and down Wooyoung's arms, feeling the stiffness of his mate.

"You know he was my best friend, Sunghee," Wooyoung says quietly.

_Was?_

Yeosang starts to feel like he shouldn't be here and begins to regret leaving his warm spot in bed with Dongwoo this morning.

"He was so small in school," Sunghee laughs.

"D-Don't say that..." Wooyoung hums, some hidden anger rivets in the back of his voice.

"Now that I'm thinking about it.... Your mate was even one of the kids that would always stand up for you, right?" Sunghee says, thinking about the past, "I remember that kid had the biggest crush on you. It was pretty laughable back then, but look at you two now," Sunghee winks at Yeosang.

Yeosang nervously shifts his eyes away from the situation, wishing he wasn't present, "He's told me stories about how he used to like me back then, yes..."

Wooyoung squeezes Sunghee's arm before he says anything worse to Yeosang, knowing Yeosang doesn't want to hear anything about this or think about how Sunghee bullied him back in their school days. He knows how much they despised each other and how Yeosang would hide from him if he saw him around the grounds.

"Have you two thought about pups?" Sunghee pushes through, asking what he's been curious about since he saw the couple, a smirk appearing on his face.

Wooyoung's eyes widened at Sunghee's question. What the hell is he trying to do? He looks up to his mate with his eyebrows furrowed, but Sunghee doesn't back down.

"I-- We... We agreed to think on it for a year..." Yeosang finally manages to choke out.

"Ahh... So you two will be deciding on it pretty soon, huh?"

"Y-Yeah..." Yeosang starts to fidget in his spot on the couch, glancing back towards the room where Dongwoo is probably still sleeping. He did eat a lot, Yeosang thinks, trying to distract his mind away from the thought of pups. He can't help but wish his mate were here right now in this uncomfortable setting he's found himself in.

"Woo and I decided to wait too, we're waiting a few years. Isn't that right, baby?" Sunghee squeezes Wooyoung's body towards him, "But boy, sometimes I just want for us to have a few pups now."

"Sunghee..." Wooyoung hums, shifting his eyes away from Yeosang in embarrassment. He never thought they would come to this, almost like they were strangers, and didn't even know the other anymore. Is Yeosang really the same boy from a year ago? Wooyoung isn't even sure he's the same from back then in all honesty.

Wooyoung does hope that Yeosang didn't catch eye of all the marks on his body, though. He doesn't notice it so much himself anymore since, over this past year, he's gotten used to his mate Sunghee being rough and quite mean, especially in bed. Sunghee has his own way of expressing love and Wooyoung's still not sure how he feels about it. All he can say is he's used to it.

Yeosang takes steady breaths to calm himself, about to say something else when Wooyoung interrupts him, seemingly to try and change the topic of conversation to something else.

"Where is Dongwoo? Is he still sleeping?" Wooyoung asks, looking at a few of the other males walking around their building and coming in and out. Everyone seems to be starting to get up now.

Yeosang eases at the name of his mate, "Ah, he's asleep in bed still."

"Actually, I'm right here, silly," Dongwoo announces, appearing behind Yeosang and he wraps his arms around him, letting them rest on Yeosang's chest as he gives the top of his head a gentle kiss.

Seeing the loving affection Dongwoo gives to Yeosang makes Wooyoung's heart drop, yet feel full at the same time. Yeosang's happiness is all he's ever wanted and as much as Wooyoung wished he could've found it with him, he's glad he was able to find it within his mate.

Yeosang giggles, squeezing one of Dongwoo's hands, pulling him around the couch to come sit with him, "You're finally up!" He smiles widely, his eyes closing into little half-moons as he shows his shiny teeth to his mate.

"Finally?" Dongwoo chuckles and leans Yeosang into his chest, holding onto him, happy to be back in contact with his mate. It always fills him with such joy knowing he has Yeosang by his side, "Have you been catching up with Wooyoung?" He asks, looking over to Wooyoung and Sunghee.

Dongwoo doesn't like seeing Sunghee here and he realizes that's what the uncomfortableness he sensed from Yeosang was coming from before he came out to sit with them all. He remembers back to their matching results and knew that Wooyoung had to have ended up with Sunghee. He hated that it was his mates' best friend's only option since he and Yeosang chose each other.

"Yeah, we've been chatting..." Yeosang responds, laying his head against Dongwoo.

"How have you been, Dongwoo?" Sunghee asks, keeping Wooyoung close to him in some sort of way to assert his dominance even though Dongwoo is clearly mated to Yeosang. It's just in his nature. Sunghee has always been overprotective over Wooyoung ever since they were mated.

Dongwoo hums, "I've been pretty good. Yeosang and I have just been spending our first year together at home in Riverside. I know you two have been out helping with the aftermath of the Bloodbane and Essence situation, right?"

Sunghee nods, "That's right. We've had to move where we're staying pretty often. I wish I could just have my time with my mate," he says, nuzzling his face into Wooyoung's neck to take in his sweet jasmine scent.

Yeosang and Wooyoung find each other's eyes while their alphas talk among themselves, both of them seeing something different in the other's. Yeosang sees some sort of nervousness or coldness in Wooyoung's and Wooyoung sees guilt and comfort in Yeosang's. The stark difference between what they both see hits them right in the chest.

This is really how things had to turn out? Wooyoung smiles, trying to show Yeosang a happy and genuine smile. He was so happy to see him, really, but something was holding him back from fully putting on his real emotions. He felt so stuck and he has been feeling this same feeling ever since getting mated off.

Wooyoung's feelings confuse him so much. On one hand, he doesn't want to be with Sunghee, but on the other he does. It could be the mating bond causing the latter, but Wooyoung does feel positively towards Sunghee somehow. He's unsure if the positive feelings are what he could call love... No, he could never call it love. He knows what real love feels like because it's sitting right in front of him, sitting beside his mate.

Yeosang had left his gaze and turned to Dongwoo, being caught up in laughter at something he said as Wooyoung sits there emptily, staring longingly at the missed opportunities of his past.

Suddenly, there's the sound of a bell ringing, it sounding all throughout the Chrysalis grounds.

It must be time for their first class.

Sunghee and Wooyoung get up and start making their way out of the building and to the place where their lessons will take place. Yeosang's eyes linger on Wooyoung's back as they walk away, knowing his past feelings for his best friends are stirring once again. Why can't he just get over him...? Yeosang's internal wolf growls at him for still thinking of Wooyoung in such a way.

Yeosang's brought back to himself when Dongwoo takes his hand, standing up and leading him to the door with a bright smile, "Let's go, Yeo!"

Yeosang smiles back at his mate, it making his wolf purr when he sees the way Dongwoo looks at him. Yeosang has honestly found love within Dongwoo over the year they've been with each other. He finds comfort in being around him and he's always been so patient and understanding with Yeosang. He knows how much Dongwoo loves him and he can't help but feel like he's betraying his mate by still having feelings for Wooyoung. What is wrong with him...?

The bell finally stops sounding as Yeosang and Dongwoo step out of the building together to make their way to their first lesson.

~

San wakes up later that morning, seeing some of the guests still asleep in their beds like he just was, but the majority of the beds are empty. That includes Jongho's and Hongjoong's. San wonders where the two enemies went, but he doesn't want to get up.

His mind is clouded by memories of the previous night, a smile spreading across his face as he remembers standing outside of Seonghwa's bedroom.

San goes breathless as soon as Seonghwa slides open the door to his bedroom, revealing a sleepy figure in a flowing white night robe.

"Seonghwa..." San whispers, the name of his fated mate unconsciously coming out of his mouth.

Seonghwa's eyes widen at the sight of San standing in front of him.

What is he doing here?

His eyebrows furrow as soon as he remembers their situation and he tries to slide his door back closed but is stopped by San's outreaching hand pressing onto the top of Seonghwa's. Seonghwa instantly pulls away, the spot where San's hand just was tingling as if Seonghwa were just electrocuted in that concentrated area.

"Don't shut me out just yet," San says, his breath visible from the coldness of the night air, "Please, I brought you something."

"I don't want anything you have--" Seonghwa pauses as his eyes travel down to San's other hand to where a plate with a napkin on top of it is being held.

San smiles at Seonghwa's timidness, finding it somehow endearing how he always pulls always from his touch like that. He really doesn't like contact, does he?

"I saved you this from dinner... You left before we had dessert," San explains, getting goosebumps all over his body as he uncovers the small square piece of chocolate cake sitting in the middle of the plate. San looks back up to Seonghwa to gauge his reaction, "I hear that dessert is your favorite part."

Seonghwa's mouth salivates at the view of the chocolate cake, cursing himself for leaving dinner so early. Chocolate cake is his all-time favorite dessert that Chrysalis serves and he knows his favorite baker must've made it, too, just from the presentation.

Did San really bring this for him?

Seonghwa bites his lip and turns away slightly from San, crossing his arms as a cold breeze comes and whisps past them, "How did you get an extra piece anyhow?" Seonghwa hums, his voice quiet. Why does San bring out this more talkative side of him? He hates it.

San chuckles, leaning against the door frame of Seonghwa's room, causing Seonghwa to back up at the increased proximity between the two of them. He lays his head against the frame as well, admiring the way the moonlight shines down onto his mate when he's out of the way, "It's not an extra piece. I saved mine for you instead."

Seonghwa tightens his grip onto his own arms, shifting his body to hide himself from the light. He feels exposed with San looking at him like this and he doesn't like how the fact of San saving his own dessert for him makes him feel. He's not supposed to be feeling anything for the boy standing in front of his bedroom door. He's already basically arranged to marry Eunji.

Seonghwa stays quiet for a few moments, still thinking to himself. He needs to push down his feelings and thoughts for San just like he's done for the past year. Seonghwa knows they're only flaring up again because San is actually here, right in front of him to be exact... His wolf is trying to push Seonghwa forward, wanting to accept who he knew was his fated mate, but Seonghwa stood his ground. He didn't move. And he didn't flinch when San took a step further into his room.

San smirked at Seonghwa's silence coming back again. He thought he was making progress earlier with the number of words his fated mate spoke, but he can't be sure. San knows how much Seonghwa wants to push him away and he's going to accept it.

For now.

San takes a step into Seonghwa's room, noticing how he doesn't move at all. San moves in just one step further and places the plate of cake down onto the top of what seems to be Seonghwa's dresser. It feels much warmer in his room than outside. He's stood for so long out there he almost forgot how cold it really was.

"I'll leave this here for you, okay?" San says with a cautious voice, not wanting to overstep too soon, "I saw the way you looked at that cake when I uncovered it," He chuckles.

San backs up out of Seonghwa's room, his body covering the moonlight that was shining on them again. San sees Seonghwa still looking away from him and it leaves him with a heavy heart, "I just hope you look at me the same one day, Seonghwa. You're not going to be able to deny us as each other's mates for much longer."

Seonghwa is startled by this sudden confession, but he tries not to show how much it affects him. He does, however, lift his eyes back up to look at San, seeing how he's back out in the cold. The air coming from his mouth is a telltale sign of that and his wolf is wanting for him to ask for San to come back into the warmth, to be with him, but Seonghwa swears against it.

Their eyes meet and there's that same aching feeling in both of their chests, their bodies trying to tell each other that they belong together. The strain becomes worse the more they fight against it. Over the past year, they've both experienced intense bouts of chest pain due to the other. Fated mates who aren't together or truly mated after they meet go through these types of things every so often. It's the world's way of telling them that being away from one another is wrong.

San's gaze lingers, taking in all of Seonghwa's beauty. The way his deep chocolaty brown eyes shine like stars when they're connected to his own. It's mesmerizing and San can't describe how long he's wished to see his fated mate again.

This time is going to be it. San vowed to himself that throughout the course of the month he's here in Chrysalis, that he will finally get Seonghwa to be his. He's not going home with that same heartache that left him the first time.

"Goodnight, Seonghwa. Please sleep well tonight and enjoy your dessert," San says softly, giving Seonghwa one last smile before he turns around and begins walking back to the building he's staying in.

Seonghwa watches San leave, his voice getting stuck in his throat for a moment before he manages to get out real words.

"Thank you, San."

**End of Chapter Seventeen**


	20. Chapter Eighteen

Seonghwa dresses himself into his elegant white day robe, trying to keep his mind away from thinking about the night previous. The feeling of how hard his heart was beating in his chest hasn't left him since and even now, he can still feel the sensation. Seonghwa shakes his head and goes to slide open his bedroom door, wanting to check on his sister, Areum, before going to the first lesson.

He slides open Areum's door and bows his head once at her, "Good morning."

Areum smiles when she sees her brother come in and sit in the chair beside her, "Wow, you actually said good morning _to me_ this time," she chuckles quietly, trying to keep from it turning into a coughing fit, "Good morning, Seonghwa. How was yesterday?"

Seonghwa hums, knowing San said the same thing to him last night. Is he really talking more? Seonghwa didn't think so...

"Fine," Seonghwa says plainly, pulling out the medicine tablets from the bedside table that Areum is supposed to take in the morning. He takes two from the bottle and holds out his hand to her.

Areum groans at the sight of the pills, but takes them from Seonghwa anyway, downing them. She makes a disgusted face for a moment, but it neutralizes once again, "You seem... Weird today," she says, looking at her brother's posture. She notices it's a bit more slouched than normal and she raises an eyebrow. This is not the Seonghwa she knows.

Seonghwa senses her suspicions and straightens himself out, keeping his hands together in his lap as he waits for her to continue -- because she always does.

"The first lesson with the new guests is this morning, right? Is that why you're in such an odd mood? Hmm..." She says, looking inquisitively at Seonghwa, trying to weed out any more things that are off about him, "Or... Have you and Eunji made some progress with your relationship?" She asks in more of a teasing manner.

Seonghwa stays stoic, shaking his head at her assumptions, "No, but she does want to come see you."

"Really? Please bring her next time, Seonghwa. You know we were good friends before I became like this," Areum sighs, her once cheerful face going down into a frown. She hates being cooped up in here. Her parents won't even let her go to the lessons with their guests. They keep telling her that her immune system is much too low to be around so many people.

Areum looks back up to Seonghwa, still seeing something odd on his face. He's been like this for a few days now, she thinks. She wishes Seonghwa would just talk to her and open up about whatever is bothering him to her.

Seonghwa nods and the two of them sit in silence for a little while, Seonghwa's eyes unconsciously drifting towards the window to look out to the buildings the guests are staying in.

Areum looks to where Seonghwa's gaze is and sees the buildings they've refurbished to house the new guests and her eyes narrow, turning back to face Seonghwa, "Who is it?"

Seonghwa is unusually startled by Areum's question, as he's typically not the jumpy type, but he turns to her, "What?" He asks, clear confusion and worry present on his face.

"Who were you looking for? I know it was not Eunji, Seonghwa," Areum says bluntly, staring him down with her eyes still squinted as if it'll help her see into his soul.

Seonghwa sits back in his chair, brushing his hand up through his hair as he lets out a sigh. He looks up at the ceiling and then gets up from the chair when he's saved by the sound of the bell, signaling that it is time for class. Seonghwa slides the door open and is ready to leave, relieved that he didn't have to come up with something to reply to Areum.

"I'm not letting this go, brother. You better come back here as soon as classes are done!" She calls out, the end of her sentence being cut off by the door sliding shut.

Jongho hits Hongjoong's shoulder with his when they enter the building where their lessons will be held, "Watch where you're going," Jongho scoffs before he goes and sits down close to the front of the room. A few of the members of Chrysalis give shocked looks at the sudden altercation between the men, not used to seeing such aggression.

Hongjoong rolls his eyes and hums, not wanting to get into it with Jongho this early in the morning. He thought they had some sort of agreement to not cause any fights while they're in Chrysalis. Their head alpha, Daesung, would give them hell if they were sent back to Nightshade.

Soon, all of the new guests file into the room and take their seats on the floor, kneeling down on their knees.

San looks around inconspicuously, trying to find Seonghwa in the crowd, but he doesn't sense him in the room yet. He does, however, see Seonghwa's brother Dohyon sitting in the front with an empty seat beside him.

That must be Seonghwa's seat.

His assumptions turn out to be correct when Seonghwa enters the building in front of his father and mother. Seonghwa goes to the front and takes his spot next to his brother.

"I'm so glad to see you all this morning," Gyungho announces after he and Hyejin bow to all of the people seated in front of them.

The crowd bows to the floor, greeting them good morning before Hyejin begins to go over the first rule they'll be learning about and explaining to the new guests, "Firstly, we will go through our pack rules. This list might seem quite excessive and long to you newcomers, but all of pack Chrysalis has followed this ruleset for generations. I, as well as my two sons," she gestures to Dohyon and Seonghwa in the front, "Will explain these rules to all of you to the best of our ability. Please know that, no, we do not expect you all to conform to our ways of living. We gathered you all here just to simply learn about another pack that might live differently than what you're all familiar to."

Seonghwa keeps his eyes to the front, on his father, but he can't help but feel a certain pair of eyes staring at the back of him. He clenches his jaw, wishing that San would take his eyes off of him, but they stay there throughout the entirety of his father's speech.

"The first rule we have that may surprise some of you would be that mates of Chrysalis must be one male and one female. Seonghwa, could you explain to our guests why we have such a rule set in place?" Gyungho asks, a warm smile on his face as he looks at his youngest.

San tilts his head in confusion at the rule Gyungho mentions. He thought Seonghwa had said something like this to him before the day they first met. He knew Chrysalis had a lot of rules, but he didn't think they'd really go as far as to say who you can and cannot mate with. Eclipse doesn't have rules like this, not that they could anyhow... Eclipse hardly has enough people for everyone to even have a mate.

Seonghwa mentally sighs when his father calls on him first and for _this_ specific rule they have. He stays seated where he is and keeps his face straight, even through all the chest pain he's experiencing right now, "Mates in Chrysalis must be like this due to the fact that there's no male omegas, as well as no alpha females. Aside from myself being the first male omega in Chrysalis' history..." Seonghwa trails off.

Seonghwa already feels exhausted from having to speak so much, but he's always done well with explaining things in class before, so he knows that's the reason his father called upon him first.

"This rule goes hand in hand with another rule of ours that I know we're not on yet, but they were set in place for similar reasons. Chrysalis mates must also be an alpha/omega pairing or a beta/beta pairing. We think that there is no reason to have anything different due to the genetic makeup of Chrysalis' history," Seonghwa continued before his speech was taken over by Dohyon.

"Our studies have shown that alphas have trouble conceiving with other alphas and even betas. Alphas' best chance and most impactful mate matches come with omegas by nature. I've noticed a few mated couples that are staying here with us go against that rule, and no, we will never discriminate towards you all. These rules are only in place for members of Chrysalis, just as my father Gyungho said previously," Dohyon says, helping his brother finish out the explanation since he knows he doesn't like to speak so much at once.

Wooyoung and Yeosang both look up at their alpha male mates. Sunghee looks down at Wooyoung with an 'I told you so' look on his face, while Dongwoo shines a warm and gentle smile towards Yeosang. Yeosang smiles back to him and faces the front once more, feeling not as tense as he just was.

Wooyoung nods at Sunghee and also turns back to the front. He's always known about these rules Chrysalis being rumored throughout Riverside, but he was never sure if they were really true or not.

Hongjoong and Jongho make side glances at one another, both of them thinking about the time they stayed together in the training building a year ago, but as soon as their eyes meet they look away fast. They've never spoken of that time and they sure as hell aren't about to now.

"Again, we don't mean to harm the feelings of any of our wonderful guests. Please remember that the majority of these rules do not apply to you all. However, some of them will. We will get to them in future lessons. I hope that through these lessons, you all will get a better understanding of Chrysalis as a pack and that we can recognize where everyone is coming from when they're different from what you're accustomed to. It is what my wife and I's whole idea in doing this came from," Gyungho says, his face still showing a cheerful smile.

There starts to be some talk amongst the guests, but everyone quiets down into an eventual silence when someone's hand goes up, wanting to ask a question.

"What would happen if someone were to break a rule?"

Many of the people turn to look and see who asked the question they were all wondering. Seonghwa would know that voice anywhere and even he can feel himself turning around to look.

San slowly lowers his hand when everyone's eyes go on him. He instantly finds Seonghwa's eyes and he feels a tug on his heart, his wolf purring at the eye contact he's receiving from his fated mate.

Hyejin notices the two boys' gaze at one another and she looks to her husband, seeing that Gyungho doesn't see as much as she does. Gyungho is focused on San, the boy that asked the question. She has a feeling she will have to say something to her son again, just like she had a year ago. Hyejin feels aching in her chest due to the fact of her knowing what Seonghwa is going through, but she keeps herself steady. She must stand her ground like she always has. She will bring it up with Seonghwa again.

"That's a good question, San," Gyungho says, recognizing the boy as the alpha of Eclipse, "It's not very often that we have to punish one of our own for going against the rules, but when they do... We have three levels of punishment. Minimal, which is writing the rule you broke one thousand times over. Mild, which is kneeling on rice while holding a bucket above your head. Finally, severe, which is a beating on the rule breaker's bareback. We haven't had anyone receive a severe punishment in many years, though, so please don't worry, everyone."

Many of the guests are surprised when they hear the punishments, but mostly they're just surprised that Chrysalis has such punishments.

San nods, his eyes flickering to Seonghwa for a moment before he raises his hand once again.

"Yes, San?" Hyejin asks this time.

"Seonghwa mentioned that he's the only male omega in Chrysalis and since there's the rule of mates being one alpha and one omega, in his case, who would he become mates with?" San asks, his stomach churning at the thought of Seonghwa mating with someone other than him.

Hyejin smiles and motions towards a female sitting in the front a few people down from Seonghwa, "Han Eunji is who will be arranged for our son since she was miraculously born as an alpha female. It's like it was destined to be from the start," she shows Eunji a warm smile before looking back to San.

San's mood takes a giant blow when he hears Hyejin's words. Seonghwa is arranged to be mated...? San stays unmoving while he takes all of this in, still staring at the back of his fated mate's head, wishing he would turn around to look at him again with those beautiful brown eyes he loves so much.

Gyungho stands with his wife and bows towards everyone, "After lessons, we have a few activities you all can choose to attend. Most of our alphas and betas go to strength training and most of our omegas go to the sauna or play with the children of our pack. Of course, an omega may attend strength training as well and vise versa. Please enjoy the rest of the day and we will see you all tomorrow morning," He ends, leaving the building.

Everyone gets up from their seated position except for San, only moving when he's startled by Yeosang's mate, Dongwoo.

"Hey, San. We're going to go to the strength training Gyungho talked about. Are you coming?" Dongwoo asks, having the other alphas behind him.

San looks at them all, seeing Hongjoong and Jongho side-eyeing each other like always and it brings a smile to his face, "Yes, I'm coming. Sorry," He chuckles, getting up and going along with the boys he's come to know.

Seonghwa senses San as he leaves with the other alphas. He gets sudden pain in his chest like he gets sometimes, knowing it comes from being away from San. Seonghwa pushes through the pain, having become used to it after all these months, and he goes to the group of confused looking omegas.

"What would you all like to do?" Seonghwa asks, trying his best to be friendly like his mother and father asked of him.

Yeosang perks up at the question, "I'd like to see the children if that's okay."

Wooyoung's eyes sparkle at Yeosang's excitement with the mention of children and it warms his heart, yet at the same time breaks it down since he knows that Yeosang will eventually be having pups with Dongwoo.

"I want to see them too," Wooyoung says quickly after Yeosang, the two boys looking at each other.

Ever since they were young, they were looking forward to having their own pups and caring for them with their mate. Of course, they always wished those mates would be each other, but they would never say it.

Seonghwa nods and turns, taking the group of omegas out of the building. He points to the sauna room and the omegas that wanted to go there leave, leaving the omegas that wished to see the children with Seonghwa. He leads them to a smaller building a few houses down and they can hear little fits of laughter coming from within.

Seonghwa slides open the door and all of the omegas that stayed with him are in awe at the sight of the children of all ages. Seonghwa unconsciously holds onto his stomach as he watches the omegas file in and start talking to the kids of his pack.

Will he have pups one day?

Children have always been one thing that seemed to bring a smile to Seonghwa's face, but more recently, it's brought saddening thoughts. He knows it would be possible to have children with Eunji based on information from the surrounding packs, but he doesn't want her pups...

Seonghwa's eyes trail to the window as they usually do, looking longingly at the strength training building back where they came from.

Would San want to have pups? Seonghwa asks himself, his internal wolf liking the thought. Seonghwa lets his mind wander for a few moments, appeasing his wolf the more he thinks about San as actually being his mate.

"Seonghwa, come here! Let's play hide and seek," Wooyoung says cheerfully, surrounded by children chanting to play the game.

Seonghwa is brought out of his thoughts and looks back at Wooyoung, nodding and coming over.

He needs to stop thinking of San like this... 

It's never going to work out.

**End of Chapter Eighteen**


	21. Chapter Nineteen

Hongjoong finds himself standing next to Jongho when all of the alphas and betas file into the strength training building. He sees one of the Park's sons, Dohyon, making his way to the front and bowing towards them all. Out of respect, they bow back and the boy begins explaining how strength training works here.

"I'm going to ask for everyone to pair up, you all can choose your partner. Your partner will be the one that spots you while you're completing your routine and vise versa," Dohyon says.

Hongjoong looks around the room and sees Sunghee asked to pair up with San already and Dongwoo was asked by a younger-looking beta girl. As Hongjoong realizes the friends he's made have already been partnered up, he looks over at Jongho.

Jongho seems to have realized the same thing that Hongjoong just had and looks at him with a face of disgust, "How could we have gotten _this_ unlucky?" He complains, crossing his arms into a tight fold across his chest, "I'm asking San before we even get here next time..." He mumbles under his breath.

"I'm just as unhappy with this situation as you, but you damn well better not let those weights fall on me, Jongho," Hongjoong says fiercely.

Life truly has it out for them both.

Dohyon nods in contentment when he sees everyone has paired up and then he goes over to one of the many bench presses they have in this building, "This is a bench press, which I'm sure you're all aware of, but your partner will most come in handy here. Having a spotter can sometimes mean the difference between life and death and with how much I've seen especially alphas put on these things, it's serious," He explains and pats the bar of the weight before going over to a few other machines around the building.

Hongjoong listens intently to the Park boy, taking in everything he says even though he's well aware of what the machines do and how important safety is when operating with them. He glances over to his... partner... and notices how absentmindedly he's looking around the room, not paying as much attention to Dohyon as Hongjoong thinks he should be.

Hongjoong nudges Jongho in the side with his elbow and gives him a pointed look, whipping his head back to Dohyon, hoping Jongho gets the message that he needs to pay attention.

Jongho rolls his eyes once more but does end up following Hongjoong's motions and starts to listen to Dohyon and what he's saying.

After all of the explanations, the pairs went off to what they wanted to do first. Jongho surprisingly took Hongjoong by the forearm and dragged him over to the bench press. The surprising part being the physical contact, Hongjoong was definitely not surprised by the workout he wanted to do since it's what he's always seen him do back home in Nightshade.

"I'm going first," Jongho states, already getting on the bench and laying back.

Hongjoong hums, expecting nothing less from him at this point, so he goes up by his head and prepares to spot him.

Jongho takes the bar in his hands and begins slowly pumping it up and down from his chest and up high in front of him, being sure to keep his arms bent. He does the first fifty reps with ease before setting the bar back on the resting arms. Hongjoong helps the bar set properly on the resting arms, letting Jongho breathe for a moment.

"Can you put on thirty more pounds on each side?" Jongho asks, taking steady breaths. Beads of sweat begin to appear on Jongho's forehead and his cheeks are red from the heat in the room.

Hongjoong's eyes falter when he sees how Jongho looks, but he nods, going and getting two thirty-pound wheels and he comes back, putting them on either side of the bar. He secures them tightly so there's no way they'll fall off and as soon as Jongho sees him tighten the last one, he lays back down.

Jongho looks up at Hongjoong from his lying position and smirks, "I know this is more than you put on, isn't it?" He asks cockily.

Hongjoong's eyes narrow as he looks down at his rival on the bench, shaking his head in dismissal, "The amount doesn't matter if you can't lift it," he retorts flatly.

Jongho scoffs and grips onto the bar, beginning to pump once again, wanting to show Hongjoong how he _can_ lift it. He should be concentrating on his reps, but he can't help it when his eyes trail up to Hongjoong. For some reason, his mind goes to that kiss they shared and he finds his eyes landing on his enemy's plump lips, admiring how soft and supple they look.

In the moment of Jongho's distraction, Hongjoong swears he saw him staring at him. Suddenly, Jongho loses his grip on one of the sides of the bar and it begins to fall down. The heavy bar is about to land on Jongho's chest, but Hongjoong quickly catches it before allowing it to make contact.

Jongho breathes heavily, his heart pounding with adrenaline as he realizes he could've just crushed his chest.

"What the hell were you doing?!" Hongjoong demands, lifting the bar up to the resting arms, "You could've gotten so badly hurt, you dumbass!"

Jongho's eyes widen at Hongjoong's anger, but it settles back on him and his eyebrows furrowed together, "Well, I didn't, so why are you getting so livid?" He growls, getting up from the bench fast and the two boys are instantly chest to chest.

A fight hasn't started yet, but Dohyon knows it's coming soon, so he is quick to step in, "Hey, calm down, guys. There's not going to be any fighting here, okay? This is the whole reason for a spotting partner. This guy here saved your life," Dohyon says, trying to defuse the situation.

"He didn't save shit," Jongho mumbles, crossing his arms again.

"Would you have rathered me let the bar fall on you, then?" Hongjoong asks angrily, but he knows they really shouldn't be doing this here. He can feel others' eyes on the two of them at this moment.

"I know, I know," Dohyon tries, "How about you two go back and rest some, or take a walk?"

Hongjoong and Jongho both nod, knowing they have to go cool down for a while. The two leave the strength training building and decide to go on separate walks around the Chrysalis grounds. During their walk, they see that Chrysalis is much larger than they ever thought, seeing how many different things are happening at any given moment around the grounds.

Later that evening, Hongjoong and Jongho finish their respective walks, and of course, only their luck, they arrive back to their building at the same time.

Hongjoong shifts his head away from Jongho and Jongho does the same, neither of the men giving each other another glance as they enter. When they enter the building, they see a few of the boys gathered around in the living area.

"Hey, guys, come here!" Sunghee says to Hongjoong and Jongho, waving them over to the couches to sit with them all.

Sunghee chuckles once the two men sit down, "I have a special surprise that I brought from home... and I've decided to share this treat with all of you," he smirks as he pulls out a glass bottle full of liquid that everyone around him knows must be liquor.

Yeosang looks at Sunghee from across the room, sitting nuzzled in Dongwoo's side, "You know that's against the rules here, Sunghee. We've heard that about Chrysalis all throughout the years..." Yeosang says cautiously, not wanting to get in trouble.

Sunghee hums, popping the cork, "We don't know if that rule applies to us while we're here," he shows one more smirk before taking a swig.

Wooyoung shifts his eyes away from his mate when he sees he's about to drink, but Sunghee pulls him inward towards his chest, passing the bottle down to him.

"It's your favorite," He whispers seductively into Wooyoung's ear and it causes Wooyoung's cheeks to redden as he takes the bottle.

While Wooyoung drinks from the bottle, Dongwoo ran his fingers through Yeosang's fluffy hair, "It'll be okay, Yeo. I'm here. I won't let you drink too much, okay?"

"Yeah, it's just us here anyway!" Sunghee says, handing the bottle Wooyoung was holding over to Hongjoong and Jongho.

Yeosang looks up at his mate and sees his reassuring eyes and he nods, assuming it to be okay since Dongwoo thinks so too. Dongwoo smiles and kisses the top of Yeosang's head, "That's my boy."

His words make Yeosang smile and hide his face shyly, covering himself with his hands.

Hongjoong takes a few swigs from the bottle before Jongho takes it out of his hands, "God, I really needed this after today."

Hongjoong narrows his eyes at what Jongho said, "Whatever..."

San shakes his head at the two bickering men, "Maybe you two will finally loosen up now," he says, taking the bottle after Jongho takes, what San thinks, is enough sips for one go.

After a while of drinking and with the bottle Sunghee brought almost gone, the couples in the room seem to be all over each other. Sunghee hasn't taken his wandering hands off of Wooyoung for even a second, low growls coming from the alpha. One the other hand, Yeosang and Dongwoo seem to be much more lovey-dovey and gentle with their touches of each other.

San can't help but feel sadness come over himself at the view of these mated couples, starting to wonder if he will ever even get truly mated at this point. San hasn't drunk much of the bottle, having decided to only take a small sip before setting it down.

"Sunghee, stop..." Wooyoung says in an embarrassed tone as his alpha stuffs his face into his neck, taking in his sweet jasmine scent he loves so much.

Hongjoong and Jongho both look pretty wasted, from both the liquor and the lack of sleep. All of the other males staying in their building had already gone to bed, leaving just the small group of seven in the living area alone.

"I'm gonna go to bed," Hongjoong announces in an unusually loud voice as he stands up, his knees wobbling for a moment before he can fully balance.

Jongho stands as well, falling against Hongjoong slightly, "Me too..."

Hongjoong gives Jongho a small shove when he falls on him, "Don't touch me, it feels weird."

San watches the two men as they stumble to the group sleeping room and shakes his head, knowing the two have _something_ going on. San just can't put his finger on it. He's going to have to ask one of them about it sometime.

When Hongjoong and Jongho enter the group room, all of the spots are taken except three beds in the back corner that are pretty crammed together. The others must've moved them so that they would have more space. The two stumble their way to the free beds, accidentally bumping into a few beds on their way, but no one stirs too much.

Hongjoong instantly flops back onto the bed in the corner and Jongho, for some reason, chooses the bed right next to him.

"Sleep on the other one, dumbass... Let San have the middle one," Hongjoong whisper yells, pulling the covers up over himself as he turns away from Jongho.

Jongho doesn't say anything as he makes the middle bed his home for tonight, also crawling under the covers, facing Hongjoong's back. His eyes travel from the back of Hongjoong's head all the way down to his lower back, his mind unable to stop thinking of the night they kissed.

Hongjoong turns his head around, about to curse at the boy again to sleep on the other one, but he sees that Jongho is staring back at him. Their eyes catch and Hongjoong's words are stuck in his mouth. His arms cover in goosebumps that he justifies to himself are from all the alcohol he had consumed. They're definitely not due to the way Jongho's eyes feel gazing back at him.

Jongho's lips part when he and Hongjoong make eye contact, but they slowly come back together.

He wants to say something to him, Hongjoong thinks. What does he want? Hongjoong can't keep up this oddly intimate eye contact with Jongho any longer and he turns his head back, resting it once again on the pillow. He can almost feel the tension in the room as he senses Jongho's eyes still on him.

"Thank you for today, Hongjoong. You really did save me back there..."

Ever since Hongjoong and Jongho went to bed, San has become more and more uneasy about staying out here with the two couples. He can feel himself becoming the third wheel, or rather, fifth wheel. He's about to get up when the door to the building slowly slides open.

Seonghwa hums, annoyed that he has to go to the boys' building to check in on everyone. He's normally not bothered by this sort of thing, but there's a certain someone in that building that he's nervous about seeing. His father asked for him to go tonight since Dohyon checked on them the other night.

Seonghwa takes a deep breath before sliding the door open, hoping that the world will be kind to him and everyone will already be asleep like they're supposed to be.

What Seonghwa didn't expect, or he wished he didn't, was to see San sitting right there. It wasn't just San though, there were two pairs of boys on either side of the couches with him getting fairly... close. Seonghwa is not used to seeing this sort of affection displayed in the slightest since Chrysalis rules against touching others unless it's family or your mate.

They must be mates, Seonghwa thinks to himself as he walks into the building. The couples become clearer to him and he sees that they're male couples. It causes his heart to ache seeing them, but he's not sure where else to look because his only other option is San.

Seonghwa tries to keep his composure as he bows to the group of men, the couplings splitting apart when they hear his presence. When he raises back up, he sees one of the men holding a bottle of liquid. Seonghwa mentally questions it, but he's not sure what it is.

"You're Park Seonghwa, right?" Sunghee asks, rubbing along Wooyoung's back with his free hand in an attempt to comfort his mate. He had felt his tense up as soon as he saw the Park's son.

Yeosang's also avoiding eye contact, knowing that they could get caught right this very moment and be punished. Dongwoo places reassuring kisses against the side of his mate's face, whispering sweet things in hopes of calming him back down.

Seonghwa nods, not taking his eyes off of the bottle. He finds it odd how nervous the two omegas got as soon as he came in, and he feels like it has something to do with this bottle.

"Would you like some?" Sunghee smirks devilishly, "Come sit down."

Seonghwa comes closer and does sit down with them, having to sit beside San. He can feel San's eyes burning holes into him, but he still refuses to look at him. He can't.

"You don't talk much do you?" Sunghee says as he hands the bottle over to Seonghwa, seeing how San gives him a warned look.

Seonghwa takes the bottle and inspects it, "What is it?"

"Don't drink it," San says, keeping his stern glare on Sunghee before going back to looking at his fated mate, his eyes instantly softening.

Sunghee laughs when he sees this interaction, feeling like he understands what's going on here, "Ah... Don't worry about it. It's pretty damn good, right, Wooyoung?" He says, but Wooyoung is already falling asleep at his side from all the liquor. Wooyoung never was one to handle his liquor very well.

Seonghwa feels like the air surrounding them all has changed to something more peculiar. He hears San tell him not to drink it and it angers him for some reason, giving in to himself and he looks over at San, "Why not?" He asks, finally making eye contact with those beautiful dark brown eyes he's been trying to avoid.

"It's uh... Dangerous," San says, not knowing what else to say since he knows that they _are_ at risk of getting caught going against the rules. The last thing he wants right now is a punishment from the heads of Chrysalis, and... He doesn't want Seonghwa to be even more disappointed in him if he found him to be going against the rules already. 

Seonghwa cocks his eyebrow, flicking his eyes down to the bottle and back at San, making sure to hold eye contact with him as he downs the rest of the drink in the bottle, it sending a burning sensation down his throat as he does. His eyes narrow with confusion once he's finished the bottle off.

Why does it taste like that?

Seonghwa feels a warmness spread throughout his body, keeping his eyes on San as he lowers the bottle down to his lap.

Sunghee laughs even more when he sees Seonghwa's drunk the rest of the bottle and Dongwoo looks at San and Seonghwa worriedly. He's not sure if the Park's son has ever had alcohol in his life. In fact, he _knows_ he hasn't. No one in Chrysalis has from all the rumors they've heard. He has a bad feeling about all of this and when he looks down to say something to Yeosang, he sees that his mate is already in a deep sleep.

"I'm going to take Yeo to bed," Dongwoo says cautiously, standing and picking up Yeosang bridal style before going to their separate room, getting them both away from this situation as soon as possible.

"Loser," Sunghee says under his breath, the smile never leaving his face from the amusement he's getting from Seonghwa and San. He makes sure to keep stroking Wooyoung's hair as he comes in and out of sleep on his lap.

"Are you okay?" San asks Seonghwa, scooting closer to him since he's concerned. He knows he's never had liquor and he's afraid of how his fated mate's body will react.

Seonghwa moves away from San when he moves closer to him, not wanting to be that close, "I'm fine," He says, but he does start to feel this unfamiliar warm feeling spreading throughout his whole body. Seonghwa stays quiet as the alcohol quickly courses through his system.

San sees Seonghwa's face start to flush into a whiter color and he gets closer again, "Are you sure?" He shoots Sunghee an angry look, "Look what you've done to him!"

Sunghee just sits back and chuckles, "Listen, man. I didn't do anything to your little lover, okay?"

San is about to respond in anger, but he's stopped by a burst of small laughter coming from beside him. He turns to Seonghwa and he sees a wide smile on his face and the giddiest laughter coming from his mouth. It's the most beautiful sound he thinks he's ever heard in his entire life. San's face instantly turns beet red as he's not sure he's ever seen Seonghwa's breathtaking smile before.

"Seonghwa?"

Seonghwa's eyes turn into little half-moons the more he laughs, his body being taken over by something he's never experienced before. He thinks he likes it, "Saaan," He mumbles, falling back onto the couch, gazing up at San with glazing-over eyes.

San feels his heart rate quicken at this side of Seonghwa he's never seen before, knowing it has to be just the liquor talking, but seeing Seonghwa's smile ignites something within him.

Sunghee's already standing with Wooyoung passed out in his arms, "I'll leave you two to... That," he winks and chuckles under his breath as he leaves to go to his room with his mate.

San suddenly is thankful for having restraint tonight and not drinking as much as he could've. He has someone very important to take care of now.

"San, do you love me?" Seonghwa asks, his toothy smile still very much spread across his face as he gets closer to San. His white robe pooling on the couch as his whole body crawls to San, "We're mates aren't we?" He whines just as he's about to fall onto his fated mate's chest.

San backs up a bit, not wanting to give into drunken Seonghwa so easily even though his wolf is begging for him to scoop up his fated mate right now. Seonghwa's intoxicating lavender scent seems to be all San can focus on as Seonghwa crawls closer to him, soon hovering over him slightly. He uses all the strength he can muster up to keep his wolf down, his eyes involuntarily flashing red as he goes through this internal battle with his wolf for power.

San's breath catches in his throat at Seonghwa's words, "Y-Yes, we're fated mates, Seonghwa..." He whispers, afraid of alerting any of the other wolves staying in this building.

Seonghwa rests his palms on San's chest, looking down at him with pupils so large they're overtaking his irises that are glowing with specks of gold, "Can I stay with you tonight?" Seonghwa's words start to get harder to understand as they're slurred, his wolf starting to take over and giving in to its desires after being repressed for so long. Who he's meant to be with is right under him and his wolf doesn't want to let this moment slip away.

"No, no, Seonghwa... You're not in your right mind right now, okay?" San says guiltily, knowing this isn't his mate speaking. San hopes that one-day Seonghwa really will say these words to him, but he knows that time is not now. Not under the influence of the liquor Sunghee offered to him.

When Seonghwa's palms press against San's chest, he feels an intense burning underneath them, his wolf wanting to feel Seonghwa's skin on his own. He's yearning for the heavenly skin to skin contact with his fated mate.

Seonghwa is about to crawl up higher onto San, but he starts wobbling, falling down onto San's body with a soft 'oof' sound coming from him.

San doesn't hear any more words come from Seonghwa, so he tries to lift his head, being trapped under Seonghwa's warm body, "Seonghwa?" He whispers, looking at his face to see his eyes closed.

San sighs, slowly sitting up with his limp mate in his arms, "I-I'm going to take you back to your bed, okay?" He keeps his voice a low whisper, his eyes softening at the sight of Seonghwa's sleeping face. He shakily brushes Seonghwa's hair out of his face and caresses his face, "I should've taken that bottle from you..." San says with regret, getting up with Seonghwa in his arms.

Seonghwa mumbles in his sleep, "San..."

"I know, I know, my love..." San hushes his mate, carrying him all the way back to his room, thankful that he's stable enough to do so. A few stumbles aside...

San finally lays Seonghwa down in his bed and pulls the covers up over him, his eyes going glassy as he looks at his sleeping mate. San feels wrong about wanting to touch him again, knowing that Seonghwa's skin against his own will become an addiction if he's not careful enough. His body can't get over the way Seonghwa's touch made him feel.

"Goodnight, Seonghwa..." San whispers, his body taking over and he gives him a soft kiss on the forehead before he brings himself up off of the bed and out of his room. The lavender scent of his mate leaves his nose as he walks back to his own building, cursing himself for letting Seonghwa drink. He's not being a good alpha at all, is he...? San thinks to himself.

San shakes his head when he finally gets back to the group room, knowing he needs to rid his mind of tonight. He should've been more careful, especially with Seonghwa.

His mind can't stop thinking about the words Seonghwa said to him, though.

Does he love him?

They're mates, aren't they?

San's eyes water as he already knows the answer to both of those questions Seonghwa had asked him. Both being able to be answered with the same thing, but San knows it's not as simple as a yes or no. Seonghwa is arranged to be mated with someone else, right? San frowns at the thought, thinking to himself that it can't be right.

Seonghwa belongs with him and he belongs with Seonghwa. It's how the world wanted things to be, so why must everything be so complicated?

**End of Chapter Nineteen**


	22. Chapter Twenty

Seonghwa wakes up the next morning warm in his bed, but with an excruciating headache. He sits up and his vision blurs for a moment from dizziness, grabbing a hold of his head in a groan. He frowns, not sure of why he feels this way. Seonghwa tries to remember what happened the night before, but everything gets foggy after he drank that drink one of the alphas gave him.

One thing that isn't hurting, however, is a small spot in the center of his forehead. Instead, there's a tingling sensation that reigns it's claim over the spot. Seonghwa lifts his finger to touch it and the tip of his finger feels like it's been shocked when he strokes it over the spot.

Throughout all of the other pain Seonghwa's head seems to be in right now, there's this one spot that feels the complete opposite. Trying to think of the reasoning causes Seonghwa's head to pulse with even more pain.

His stomach begins to churn and he looks down at it, wondering if he ate something last night that didn't settle well with him.

Seonghwa sits up, getting up slowly, not wanting to cause his vision to blur even more from standing up too quickly. He gazes at himself in the mirror, not seeing anything amiss from his appearance in particular. Perhaps he's getting sick...?

Seonghwa removes his robes and puts on his normal white day robes, running his fingers through his hair as he looks closer at himself in the mirror. He stares at himself for a while, studying his own face. He supposes that his skin does seem a bit more flushed than normal and his cheeks are an oddly rosier shade.

He tries to think back to last night once again and he's ridden by flashes of San's face, causing his heart to beat erratically from his wolf's pleasure of Seonghwa thinking about the man. He thought he smelt a different scent on his night robes when he woke up this morning and now he realizes.

He smelt the faint scent of roses.

Seonghwa feels his face heat up at the realization and reaches his hand back up to the tingling spot on his forehead. It's a similar sensation to whenever his and San's hands would touch or graze each other's.

Did San touch his forehead last night...?

Seonghwa mentally scolds himself for not being able to remember the results of last night clearly. What in the heavens did that alpha give him to drink last night? Seonghwa had never tasted anything like it before, remembering the burning he felt of the liquid going down his throat.

The longer Seonghwa stares at himself, the longer his mind is filled with thoughts of San. He can't lie to himself any longer and try to tell himself that he feels absolutely nothing for San. He just can't. Every time that San is in his presence, his internal wolf wants for Seonghwa to be around him and for his alpha to touch him. They really are fated mates, meaning the world has deemed the two of them to be perfect for each other and that they're destined to be together.

If they're so destined to be together, then why does it seem like there's so many things keeping them apart...?

_Knock_

_Knock_

_Knock_

Seonghwa turns his head towards the knocking on his door, seeing it slide open to reveal his mother's smiling face.

"Good morning, Seonghwa. How are you feeling" Hyejin asks, sliding the door closed behind her before coming to sit down at the end of her son's bed.

Seonghwa sees her sit down and he knows she has something to talk with him about, so he comes and sits down with her as well. He thinks about telling her how his head is hurting, wondering if she could know why he's feeling like this.

"Good morning," Seonghwa starts, "My head isn't feeling the best, I feel like I'm spinning..." He reveals, rubbing his head.

Hyejin studies her son, seeing his flushed face, "Do you think you're becoming ill, sweetie?" She asks, becoming worried.

Seonghwa just shakes his head, dismissing it. He really doesn't feel that kind of sickness, it's a different feeling that he can't really compare to another. He stays quiet, letting the awkward tension that usually follows him around rise up.

"How have the lessons been so far?" She asks, seeing that Seonghwa doesn't want to talk about illness.

"Fine," He hums, thinking back to the lessons and how San asked about breaking rules and about him. Seonghwa still can't believe he did that, it put him in a situation he would've rather not been in, and Seonghwa knows what his parents told San about the arranged mating with Eunji was not what he was hoping to hear.

"Have you made friends with any of the guests?" Hyejin shows a smile, but her heart aches knowing how that boy with Eclipse has been staring at him throughout the entirety of the lessons. She knows that it just cannot happen, she wants to stop this before it could potentially escalate any further. Hyejin doesn't think that anything has happened, since she knows her son, but she also knows how different he's been ever since they first went to Eclipse last year and since the guests have arrived at Chrysalis.

Hyejin can't let her son go through the same pain that she did so long ago...

"I-" Seonghwa starts and is about to mention San since he's been so prevalent in his mind recently, but he closes his mouth. Should he bring San up? He begins to remember when his mother pulled him aside after leaving Eclipse last year and his heart sinks. She _does_ know something is up already, right? The silence befalls them as they both know what each other are thinking.

"Yes, I've made one friend..." Seonghwa finally says, his voice quiet and he doesn't dare look towards his mother. He knows his emotions have become more rampant recently and he hates it. Emotions give too much away in just one glance. That's why he's the stoic man he became as he grew up.

Hyejin lets out a soft sigh, "I'm glad you're making friends, honey. What's their name?" She asks, even though she already knows the name that will come out of her son's mouth.

Seonghwa nibbles on his bottom lip and starts rubbing his index finger and thumb together, "San."

"Ah... The alpha boy from Eclipse. Yes, I remember him well. He's the one who asked questions at the end of the lesson, right?"

"Yes, mother."

The air between mother and son grows thicker as the questions Hyejin has float around both of their heads. The two stay quiet for a few more moments before Hyejin shifts her head, "You know that Eunji will make a wonderful match for you, don't you, Seonghwa...?"

Seonghwa is confused at first about the sudden change in topic, but his heart rate picks up from indecision over the fact he doesn't want to be mated to the Han girl. He looks towards his mother, though, and nods, "I know, mother."

"She's... A really nice girl, yes?" Hyejin continues, her voice starting to catch in her throat as past memories begin to bubble up inside of her. It's almost like deja vu in a sense, sitting here with Seonghwa and talking to him about mating with someone when there's clearly something between him and another.

Seonghwa stays quiet this time and nods, seeing his mother's face start to twist into something he's never seen from her before. He's never seen his mother upset or conflicted much, aside from the sternness she shows when giving speeches with father. This is much different.

"Seonghwa, you know... When I was young, around your age, I had a friend too. She and I were probably closer than you and San since we knew each other from a young age, but we were also from different packs. She was from Nightshade and my father was friends with her father, so we would get to visit them often. As we grew older, our parents would talk about mates for us and we absolutely didn't want to be mated off at the time. We were so... Afraid of losing our friendship," Hyejin pauses, choosing to be cautious with her word choice, "and being from different packs meant that once we got mated, we would have to follow our mate."

Seonghwa takes everything that his mother says in, not wanting to think of some of the things she says incorrectly, but the way she words certain things makes him question that she's revealing the whole truth to him. He starts to wonder about their friendship, but stops himself when San re-enters his mind. He knows that once he's mated to Eunji, he won't get to see Seonghwa anymore and he _knows_ it would be for the best, but his wolf doesn't want that. His wolf wants to be with Seonghwa...

And Seonghwa is starting to think that it's not just his wolf wanting it...

"I ended up telling her that things had to be different between us and I stopped going with my father to visit Nightshade because I knew seeing my... old friend... would be painful for the both of us. It wasn't long after that your father and I were mated together," Hyejin ends with a smile.

Hyejin really does love Gyungho, but there will always be a part of her heart that belongs to the girl she met back in Nightshade. She doesn't reveal everything to Seonghwa because, of course, it doesn't align with their pack rules. She could never tell her son that she once was a rule breaker of Chrysalis back in the day, but she will never forgive her father for making her stay home while he went to Nightshade. She had suspicions that he knew something, but they were found correct when he forbade her from coming with him anymore.

Seonghwa didn't even notice the increase of his heart rate until the end of his mother's story. She may not be saying it to him directly, but Seonghwa knows that his mother knows about him and San. She's telling him to let him go...

"What was her name, mother?" Seonghwa asks, looking up at her with wavering eyes.

"Youngmi," She says, the small smile still on her face.

_Ring_

_Ring_

_Ring_

"It sounds like it's time for today's lesson," Hyejin chuckles and stands up, flattening out her robe from sitting so long, "Come on, honey."

Seonghwa nods and stands, following her to the lesson building. On the walk there, he tries to remember the events of last night once again, but alas, no luck. He doesn't want to, especially after that talk with his mother, but he knows he could ask San about it and he would tell him honestly.

The whole situation with San has Seonghwa more confused than he has ever been. When they first met he was so cold towards him, but as the time passed and with them being away from each other... Now, seeing San once again, Seonghwa isn't so sure his cold exterior can hold up like it did a year ago. He can

feel himself slowly breaking down and he doesn't know how to feel about it. San is making him feel things that he never wanted to feel, especially not towards him.

What is he going to do...?

How did his emotions get strewn apart like this? Like they're streamers wrapped around a pillar at a party, except the pillar is San's finger. Seonghwa can feel himself becoming weak at even the thought of his fated mate, he can feel the ice that surrounds his heart melting away.

That's the thing about the story his mother told him, though... They couldn't have been fated mates like he and San are. Their dynamic is different. He's known that ever since the first time he experienced that excruciating pain in his chest due to being away from San that they were different.

Is it time he sees where things could go...?

Or should he listen to his mother's words of wisdom and distance himself since San will inevitably leave Chrysalis one day, and consequently, leave Seonghwa?

Seonghwa knows he will be mated off to Eunji in the near future, so maybe he should revel in the bliss that is Choi San while he's still able to...

His internal wolf is calling for Seonghwa to become closer with San and to just merely be in his presence, so maybe he should listen to his wolf for once. He's always suppressed him back, but he could be right.

Seonghwa starts to wonder if it would be so bad to get closer to him, to become real friends with San... He hasn't had a real friend in so long. He hasn't felt much in general in so long and the feelings San is making him feel makes him feel like he's been missing out on so much by putting on his mask of coldness.

Seonghwa's mind has never been so conflicted.

Seonghwa sits down in his usual spot beside his brother Dohyon and he can instantly feel eyes on him, yet he doesn't know how to feel. His mother's words are swirling around his mind, but Seonghwa knows how he and his wolf feel whenever he thinks about San. He's letting San take over his mind and he doesn't think he hates it anymore...

The tingling spot on his forehead burns brighter whenever he thinks of San and it lessens his pounding ache that still lingers in his head. He looks down at his fingers as he twiddles them, finding himself wondering how San looks this morning.

Seonghwa bites the inside of one of his cheeks and turns his head around, his eyes connecting with San's right away. Right when their eyes link, San's light up and a big smile spreads across his face. Seeing him smile like that sends shivers down Seonghwa's spine and his wolf internally calls for his fated mate sitting just a few feet behind him.

Seonghwa's eyes soften and his irises flash gold when he sees San's hand raise up and give him a subtle wave. Seonghwa is about to wave back when his mother's voice rings through the building.

"Good morning, everyone," Hyejin announces with a smile, causing Seonghwa's head to whip back around to the front. She didn't miss his and San's eye contact and it breaks her heart. She hopes that he will take what she told him into consideration.

"Hey, Dongwoo! Can I sit by you two, today?" The female beta says, coming up to Dongwoo and Yeosang with a warm smile on her face, motioning towards the open spot next to them.

Dongwoo looks up at her and nods, "Sure, Kyelin," He says, patting the spot next to him.

Kyelin looks over at Yeosang and her eyes light up, "You're Yeosang, right? I've heard so much about you from Dongwoo! It's great to meet you, I'm Kyelin from pack Essence. Dongwoo and I met in strength training the other day."

Yeosang looks at her and smiles at how friendly she comes off, "Yes, I'm Yeosang. It's nice to meet you too, Kyelin."

Yeosang feels happy that his mate made a friend, not surprised since Dongwoo is such a friendly and outgoing person. He makes friends just about everywhere they go and he's always been pretty popular back in Riverside. He sits supportively while Dongwoo and Kyelin talk, but they're soon interrupted by Park Hyejin starting today's lesson.

"Today's rules we will be discussing is that there will be no fighting, nor sparring without elder supervision on Chrysalis grounds. This is one of those rules that _will_ apply to everyone..."

The lesson goes on as normal, but with the topic at hand... Hongjoong and Jongho can't stop glancing at one another with annoyed and bitter looks complete with furrowed brows and narrowing eyes. San notices them and rolls his eyes.

Here we go again...

_"Are we there yet?"_

_"It won't be too much longer now, my love."_

_"Min... My legs are so exhausted. Can we take a rest for the night? We would be such a bother if we arrived at Chrysalis in the middle of the night."_

_"You're right, you're right. We can rest for tonight, Yun. Come here."_

_"They won't be too upset to see us, right...?"_

_"Don't you worry your pretty little head about it, my love. I'm hoping that they won't hold what my father did to Essence's head alpha against you and I. We will show them that we're different from their preconceived notions of us."_

_"I know we're not like him, but I'm still nervous."_

_"Let me help you ease your mind a little, Yun. It's going to be great, okay?"_

_"I love you, Mingi."_

_"Words can't describe how much I love you, Yunho."_

**End of Chapter Twenty**


	23. Chapter Twenty One

"I'm so excited to see her, Seonghwa! You have no idea," Eunji says with excitement, a wide smile spread across her face as she looks up at him. They had just gotten out of lessons for the day.

Seonghwa glances down at her joy-filled face, but he turns back to facing front as he walks towards his sister's bedroom. He knows Eunji and Areum have been friends for a while, but he still can't understand why she would be so excited to see someone. Seonghwa can't remember the last time he was excited to see someone like Eunji is excited to see Areum.

Well...

He might be able to think of _one_ time recently...

Seonghwa shifts his eyes away from Eunji, trying to focus his attention away from thinking of San and more on his steps as they get closer to Areum's room.

Seonghwa and Eunji finally arrive outside of Areum's bedroom door and Seonghwa slides open the door to reveal his sister sitting calmly in her bed. He watches as Areum's eyes light up when she sees Eunji come out from behind him.

"Areum!" Eunji says excitedly, almost running into the room and up to Areum's bed where she lays.

"I haven't seen you in what feels like ages, Eunji," Areum says, showing her best friend a joyous smile, "I've missed you."

Seonghwa comes in behind Eunji slowly, letting Eunji take the seat by Areum's bed. He stands beside her and watches absent-mindedly as the two girls interact and catch up with one another.

"How are you feeling?" Eunji asks, her voice becoming more worried when her eyes had caught sight of the bin by her bedside full of tissues with a red substance on a few of them.

Areum keeps her warm smile on, making sure to stay calm so she doesn't have a coughing fit from excitement, "I feel well, Eun. How are you feeling? Have you taken the pack children out to the waterfall recently?"

Eunji shakes her head, "No, I haven't taken them for a while... You know they liked it best when you would take them," She chuckles, "I'll see about taking them soon, or perhaps I could ask some of the omega guests to take them. I bet they would enjoy that!" Eunji smiles, having taken over for Areum since she's been sick. She's been one of the few alphas that go down and play with and look after the pack children.

"I think they would. I'm sure none of them have ventured out to the waterfall, it's likely they aren't even aware it's there," Areum says, sitting up straighter with her hands placed in her lap nicely.

"They talk about you a lot, you know. If you're able to, maybe soon you can come visit?" Eunji asks with a hope-filled voice.

Seonghwa's eyes ended up trailing off to gaze out the window while the two girls talked. His eyes were drawn to a presence that he sensed outside, soon finding San standing among a group of other boys and one girl. Seonghwa has seen them around before. They must be San's friends, Seonghwa thinks.

Seonghwa's chest heats up when he sees San's lips curl up into a shining smile, goosebumps forming on his arms the longer he stares at him.

"Right, Seonghwa?"

Seonghwa inhales sharply, turning back to Eunji and Areum in confusion. He hadn't been listening to anything they had been saying, he got too caught up in his own head and been distracted by a certain alpha outside.

"You'd go to the waterfall with Eunji and the pack children, right? I know how you love spending time with them," Areum asks, having seen Seonghwa looking outside, but she doesn't change her face, wanting to keep everything normal for Eunji's sake.

Areum knows Seonghwa has something else on his mind entirely. She's going to have to ask him about that later.

When Eunji turns to look at Seonghwa, Areum takes a glance out the window to see the group of boys and one girl.

Which one of them is it...?

Areum's stomach turns when she starts wondering if it isn't the girl that stands among all of those boys. Her eyes are drawn to one of the boys in particular and she glances back to her brother. She thought she'd seen one of them before... She just can't remember where from exactly.

Seonghwa nods towards them, "I'll go."

Eunji cheers, "I'll talk to the elders about it soon, then!"

Areum giggles, "How are you two doing?" She hums, a smirk appearing on her face.

Seonghwa narrows his eyes and looks away. He didn't want Areum to bring this up, especially not while Eunji is there as well.

Eunji turns to Seonghwa, hoping that he would say something about them, but she sees him turn away and it makes her heart drop. He never reacts in the ways she hopes he would, he always seems to let her down in moments like these.

Eunji's mood is brought down a bit, so she turns away from Seonghwa and back to Areum, biting the inside of her cheek sadly. Her heart aches as she looks down at Areum's hands, trying to distract herself, "Seonghwa hardly even treats me like his future mate," she says, trying to make it sound joking, but it comes out more sad.

Areum senses her sadness and grabs hold of her hands, "Hey, if my brother doesn't start treating you right, then I will!" She says, giggling happily before dropping their hands, "You know I'm way cooler anyway," She smirks.

Eunji eyes widen at Areum's actions, her smile and words bringing Eunji's mood back up, "Way cooler!" She laughs, realizing how much she's truly missed her best friend the past few months.

Seonghwa feels glad that Areum was able to make Eunji happy again, knowing how much he always disappoints her with his actions and lack of emotions. He's going to have to start bringing Eunji here more often, he can tell. Seonghwa frowns at the thought of knowing Eunji will be stuck with him. He can't help but think that she deserves better, or at the very least, someone that could love her like she deserves.

"Did you hear that, Hwa?" Areum asks, smirking even more, "I'm stealing your mate."

Seonghwa shakes his head, finding their friendship amusing, but he can't help his eyes tugging back to look out the window in hopes of a certain someone still being there.

He isn't.

Has San already gone to strength training?

Eunji sighs at his lack of reaction, "Come on, Seonghwa... Let's go see the children, I'm sure the others are already there waiting for us. I hope to see you again soon, Areum. Please feel better..." She says sadly, her mood becoming down as she stands from the chair after bidding her goodbyes to her best friend. Eunji hates to see Areum like this. She's always been one to be really active in the pack and now that she's been cooped up, some things don't seem right without her.

Seonghwa nods, giving his sister a small nod before he and Eunji leave together and head to the children's building.

~

"He's the best thing that's ever happened to me," Dongwoo says enthusiastically as he runs on the treadmill side by side with his newfound friend Kyelin.

Kyelin smiles, "He seemed really, lovely, Dongwoo. You lucked out in your pack's mating process it seems, eh?"

"Most definitely, Lin. I've had the biggest crush on him ever since we were younger and when I saw his name on that envelope, I knew it was fate... Sometimes he seems sad though, especially since we arrived here," Dongwoo says as his tone of voice decreases in enthusiasm, his face becoming more solemn, "I think it's because of his old friend, Wooyoung. He's here too. You remember him, right?"

"Yes, I remember. He's the smaller omega mated to Sunghee, right?" Kyelin asks and Seonghwa nods yes, "Their relationship is..." Kyelin pauses, trying to find the right words.

"Toxic," Dongwoo says under his breath, "I know... And I think Yeo can see it too, and that's what's been getting him in this funk he's been in."

Kyelin shows him a saddened face, worry-lines present on her forehead, "It's quite odd from what I've noticed -- their relationship, I mean. Wooyoung can sometimes seem so content with their relationship like he's okay with the situation he's in, but other times you can just see the look of sadness in his eyes. I don't like seeing my new friends so depressed... It reminds me of my old friend back in Essence. His father was very ill and he'd get that look in his eyes every time he would get negative results back about his father."

Dongwoo hums, listening intently to everything Kyelin says. He's happy to have made a friend in her, she's become someone he hangs out with every day after their lessons since they're spotting partners for strength training.

"Did he ever get better?" Dongwoo asks, becoming curious about her friends' father's condition when she mentioned illness, "Your friend's father?"

Kyelin smiles with hope-filled eyes, "He did, actually... Gosh, I can still remember the day, Dongwoo. It was so incredible and magical seeming," She pauses, realizing her poor choice of words and glances around, seeing that no one is paying attention to them in the slightest. She, and everyone else through the packs, that magic is not to be talked about since it was the whole reason what went down between Bloodbane and Essence happened.

Dongwoo doesn't look at her funny in the slightest, though. He's known about Essence and heard about the attack from Bloodbane going all throughout Riverside's pack gossip. He, for one, doesn't see the big issue with possible magical abilities, but he wouldn't tell anyone that.

"Yunho ran to my house with the happiest face I'd ever seen on him and I knew something incredible happened. He brought me back to their home and his father, Kangmin, was up and walking around without any struggles at all! It was quite surprising to see since he had been ill for so long..." Kyelin goes on, reminiscing on the last time she saw her childhood best friend.

"Yunho is the name of your friend, right?" Dongwoo asks, wanting to make sure he's not confused and Kyelin nods.

"That was the last time I saw him, too, actually... He met his fated mate not too long before that and after his father got better, Yunho went back with his mate to Bloodbane," Kyelin explains.

Dongwoo's eyes widened upon hearing all of that, "Your friend is the one who's mating ended the war between Essence and Bloodbane, isn't he?" He asks, having put two and two together. Fated mates, Yunho's familiar name, and now her bringing up Bloodbane? It had to be.

Kyelin nods slowly, a bit fearful that Dongwoo will have a negative reaction like most others that she meets from other packs. They've all heard about Yunho and Mingi, but their stories always get twisted and molded out of proportion... Many people assume that Mingi and his father, Bloodbane's head alpha, are horrible people that destroyed Essence and Essence's head alpha because of their magic. But... Some people also assumed that since the head alpha's son mated with a member of Essence, that they only wanted to take over Essence further.

They thought that Mingi and Yunho's love was a ruse for Bloodbane to acquire even more power over Essence. They never believed anyone when they heard someone from Essence actually had a fated mate since they only heard of their founder's being the only fated mates to even dawn upon Essence.

Yunho became an icon throughout Essence, though. Even with the people that would doubt their legitimacy of being fated mates, saying that it's impossible, the overwhelming majority of Essence was thrilled.

After Essence's head alpha died by the jaws of Minseok, the second family in command took over to help calm everyone down. Yunho and Mingi had to go to them to prove their bond and that they truly were fated mates. Kyelin never asked how they would go about doing that, she didn't want to know in case it involved something more... personal.

Dongwoo only smiles, "I think it's fascinating how a love like theirs could overcome all and stop the war that was going to happen. I wish I could meet your friend one day, Lin. I bet he has so many stories about how his life has been being the first Essence member in centuries to have a fated mate."

"I miss him a lot... I hope he's doing well," Kyelin sighs, thinking about how close they used to be, "His mate, Mingi, seemed so sweet, though. Don't believe the bad rumors you hear about them, please, Dongwoo."

Dongwoo shakes his head and pats hers, "Don't worry, I like to make decisions on people for myself. I don't just believe everything people tell me. I've seen so many people look like fools when they believe one thing someone said, only to find out later they were completely wrong."

"That's a great mindset to be in Dongwoo. I wish more people were like you," Kyelin tries to get out a laugh as she pushes down all of the cruel things she's heard throughout the packs.

~ Earlier

"Yeah, I think I'm going to go see the pack children today," San says, squinting his eyes into a big smile as he waves to his alpha friends before going to the children's' building with Yeosang and Wooyoung.

"See you later tonight, San," Hongjoong says, seeing Jongho was about to talk, but he decided to interrupt him before he even got to get a word out. Jongho huffed and went on ahead to the strength training building and it made San laugh, covering his mouth to keep it contained.

Yeosang smiles at Dongwoo and gives him a loving look before turning around with Wooyoung and San, "I'm so excited for you to come with us, San!" The children are so kind, I know they'll be thrilled to have another new person around. You should've seen the look on their faces when Woo and I first showed up. They're not very used to seeing so many men around."

"Don't you remember the rules, Sangie? Chrysalis doesn't have any omega men other than Seonghwa and omegas are the only ones that are really around them after class," Wooyoung hums, walking closely next to Yeosang. The two of them have gotten closer once again since they've spent so much time together with the pack children.

San feels his chest warm-up at the mention of his fated mate, his wolf purring at the thought of seeing him around all of these children. He knows how much he and his wolf have dreamt of having pups with Seonghwa, so he can only feel his eager anticipation of watching how Seonghwa acts with children.

Yeosang giggles and holds onto Wooyoung's arm comfortingly, "I wonder if our little Minhee managed to build that paper boat like we showed him."

"Paper boat?" San chimes in, curious as to what they're talking about.

Wooyoung turns to face San and nods happily, "All of the children are making paper boats to race down the river later today. One of the little boys, Minhee, was having trouble making his yesterday so we gave him some tips."

San slides open the door to the children's building and a small group of kids is spread all throughout the large space, playing with each other. One little boy instantly gets up from his spot with the others and runs over to the three men.

"Woo! Sangie! Look!" The boy cheers, hopping up and down in front of them holding up a small paper boat. It's a bit misshapen towards the top, but the bottom is what matters, right?

Yeosang squats down and admires the paper boat, "It turned out wonderful, Minnie! You're going to win the race with this bad boy for sure," He says as he is about to use his free hand to ruffle up the little boys' hair, but he stops himself when the boy shifts away.

"We're not allowed contact, Sangie!" Minhee announces.

Yeosang nods, having heard of the rumors about members of Chrysalis not being able to touch or make any physical contact with anyone other than their family and mates, "Ah, sorry, sorry."

Wooyoung also squats down with Yeosang, praising Minhee's paper boat as well, "It's okay, Minnie would forgive you right, Minnie?"

Minhee giggles and nods, "Yes! Mommy told me to help teach the guests about us too~ Am I doing a good job?" He asks, shows his teeth in a silly manner.

Wooyoung laughs, "The greatest job, little Minnie."

San is about to join Wooyoung and Yeosang in talking with Minhee, but his nose is suddenly brimming with the scent that he's become so addicted to.

Lavender.

San turns around and he feels a stake through his heart when he sees Seonghwa standing there looking almost angelic in his regal white robe. His eyes tug towards someone standing next to his fated mate, seeing Eunji. He doesn't want to dislike the girl standing along with his omega, but his wolf can't help but internally growl seeing him with someone else.

San's sure Eunji is a pleasant girl, but not for Seonghwa... Seonghwa and San were made for each other and his wolf pushes for San to go over and assert his ground.

"Seonghwa?" Eunji asks, noticing how there's been nothing but silence since they set foot in the children's building. Seonghwa is normally silent, but he typically greets the children, so why is now any different? She looks up at him and sees how his eyes look different than what she's used to seeing. There's something she's never seen present within them...

Eunji follows the trail with her own eyes and lands onto a male alpha standing next to two of the guest omegas she's come to know over the past few days.

She's never seen this alpha in the children's building before...

What is he doing here?

Sooner than she can fully get her thoughts filtered through her head, the unfamiliar alpha is coming over to them.

"Seonghwa," He hums happily, his eyes shining at Seonghwa's elegant appearance, but he shifts over to her, "You're Eunji, right? It's nice to meet you, I'm San."

Eunji's eyes widened a bit with the realization that this is the same boy that asked those questions at the end of their lesson the other day. She pauses before nodding, "Yes, I'm Eunji, Seonghwa's future mate," she feels the need to add, her own wolf purring at her dominance. Eunji doesn't know what's come over her, but seeing the way this alpha was looking at Seonghwa made her wolf lurch up and want to make sure he knows his place.

The two alphas stare at each other for much longer than intended and Seonghwa clears his throat, "Isn't the paper boat race today?" He says, deviating the conversation into a more positive one when he saw their intense glares.

Soon after everyone was getting gathered up to go down to the river to do the paper boat race, a bell sounded throughout Chrysalis, signaling for everyone to come to the center of the grounds.

Seonghwa is confused since he didn't get word of anything of importance happening today.

What could be going on?

Minhee whines, "But... I _just_ made my boat..." He pouts and looks down at his little paper boat.

Wooyoung frowns at Minhee's depressed-looking face, "It's okay, sweetie. We can do it tomorrow or another day, isn't that right, Sangie?" He looks over at his best friend, seeing he has a similar guilty face.

"That's right. Come on, Minnie, let's go see what's going on!" Yeosang shows a smile on his face in hopes of bringing up Minhee's mood.

The group of boys, including Kyelin and Eunji, all gather together in the center of Chrysalis grounds. They're unable to see much from the large community of people surrounding them all.

"We've called everyone here to introduce two more of our guests. They've arrived late, but they _did_ both come from Bloodbane. Please welcome them with open arms," Gyungho announces to everyone.

The crowd begins to disperse as they greet the two new guests arriving in Chrysalis, so soon enough, the small group of boys and two girls are able to lay eyes on the newcomers.

Kyelin eyes widen at the sight of the two men standing a few feet away from them.

Could it really be?

"Yunho and Mingi...?"

**End of Chapter Twenty One**

\-------------------------

Hiya, my loves <3 I'm here to tell you there most likely will not be an update next weekend (6/21) due to it being my weekend at work. I will let you know if plans change and if I'll be able to update, but as of right now, I think the 21th will have to be my first missed update. 

:( I really hope you all understand <3 Thank you so much for reading my story and we will be back the 28th! Also, I made this chapter a little longer to hopefully tide you over. 

(Going back to work has also made it a bit harder for me to write due to working every single day unlike I had before, but future chapters shouldn't be affected by this <3 I'll do my best <3)


	24. Chapter Twenty Two

While the majority of pack Chrysalis welcomed the arrival of Yunho and Mingi warmly, many of the guests from different packs were wary of their presence here. They all had heard about the start of the war between Bloodbane and Essence. They knew Bloodbane was the pack that tried to start another war and almost followed through with it, too, but something happened that made the war end early.

But not without casualty and destruction...

The plethora of side-eyes Yunho and Mingi are getting from the guests are plentiful.

"Why is _he_ with him anyway?"

"I heard his father killed Essence's pack leader."

"Are they really mates?"

"How could he even be with him after all that?"

"I don't understand how one of Essence's own chose to be with him after what they did."

Yunho and Mingi pretended not to hear all the mumbles and whispers as they shuffled through the crowds. They had already heard everything before, anyway. Soon, everyone had gone back to their activities, and Yunho and Mingi saw there was only a small group of people left.

"Yunho...?"

Yunho's eyes widen at the softness of the voice, having not heard her voice in such a long time it seems. A smile spread across his face when he sees Kyelin rushing to him with open arms, "Kyelin!" He yells happily as they crash into an embrace and twirl around, "What are you doing here?"

Mingi chuckles at his mate and his best friend from Essence, remembering how Yunho introduced the two of them long ago. He watches as the group all start coming over to them and gently rubs Yunho's back comfortingly as he speaks to Kyelin.

"I got an invitation to come learn about Chrysalis. What are _you two_ doing here?!" Kyelin asks in a jokingly accusing voice, pointing her finger to Yunho's chest, showing a bright smile up at Mingi, "You've been keeping my bestie in line, right, Mingi?"

Mingi smirks and pulls Yunho into his side to kiss the top of his fluffy head, "You know it, Lin. He's always getting into trouble when you're not around, you know."

Yunho pouts, "Hey! I'm never a troublemaker..." He mumbles, but he can't stay playing mad for long when he feels the warmth of Mingi's kiss on his head, "We were also invited here."

Kyelin hums and looks the two boys up and down, "Then why are you _really_ late? I know Bloodbane is far, but it's not _that_ far. What were you two up to?!" She asks, a disgusted look coming to her face, "You two weren't... Right...?"

Yunho's face turns the brightest shade of red she's ever seen at this question and Mingi bursts into laughter.

"We were NOT doing that!" Yunho dismisses, feeling overwhelmingly embarrassed at her accusation.

"Not on the trip, anyway," Mingi clarifies.

Kyelin laughs hysterically, noticing the others have come to see what's up.

"What's all the laughter for?" Dongwoo asks when they all circle around the newcomers, holding onto Yeosang's hand.

Yunho hides his head in Mingi's arm shyly, not wanting to be apart of this conversation any longer -- especially in front of strangers. Mingi rubs up and down his arm, keeping him close to his chest in hopes of easing his tension. He smirks to himself from all the dirty talk, thinking about how he will be able to help his lovely mate even more later that night. He'll relieve his tensions all right...

"Nothing, nothing," Kyelin hums in a giggly tone, looking up at Dongwoo and Yeosang who stand right next to her.

"Yunho and Mingi, yes?" San asks and the couple nods, "It's nice to meet you two. My name is Choi San."

Everyone around them begins to introduce themselves and welcome them to Chrysalis, telling them about what they've learned so far in the lessons. None of them hold any prejudices against Yunho or Mingi, which warms their heart.

Sunghee has surprisingly stayed quiet throughout all of this and Wooyoung could not be more thankful. He didn't want his mate to hurt their new friends so soon into meeting them. Wooyoung holds onto Sunghee's hand and shines a smile up at him, wanting to show him how happy he is that he's being on his best behavior.

At least, for now...

Gyungho comes over to the group and bows, along with everyone else before speaking, "Yunho, Mingi, I'll show you where you'll be staying. Follow me," He says with a smile and begins walking off towards the boys' building.

Yunho stays close to Mingi as they walk around, amazed to be in a new territory he's unfamiliar with.

"Since you two are a mated couple, my wife and I prepared a separate room for you to sleep in together," Gyungho states as he slides open the door to their bedroom, "But please, try to spend some time with the new guests here as well. I saw how some of them looked at you two, but I promise you, nothing bad will happen to you while you're here. Chrysalis does not tolerate fighting of any kind and they would be punished accordingly."

Mingi nods, keeping his mate close while he examines the room, "Thank you so much, Sir. We're used to getting all the stares, so it doesn't bother us so much anymore."

"Chrysalis is happy to welcome you both. Lessons for today have already ended, but they take place every morning. When you hear the sound of a bell ringing, that's when you can make your way there," Gyungho bows again and Yunho and Mingi follow suit, "I will see you two tomorrow morning."

And with that, Gyungho left the mated couple alone in their new guest room.

~ the next day

"How could they possibly expect us not to drink?" Sunghee laughs as he walks out of the lessons building.

Wooyoung hums beside him, "We already knew that rule, Sunghee... You know that it's one of their most famous one among the other packs. I remember my father would talk about it saying how it was nonsense since everyone needs a drink once in a while."

Sunghee smirks, "Damn right they do, Woo. I knew I always admired your father for something," he says as he runs his hand up and down Wooyoung's back, lingering a few moments every time his hand reaches the small of it, slightly drifting lower every now and then.

Wooyoung's cheeks heat up and he instantly feels embarrassed, "Sung, not right now..." He whispers.

"Okay, okay," Sunghee concedes and settles on wrapping his arm around Wooyoung's shoulders, walking them both back to the boys' building. There are a few guests around the resting area, but the majority are still at strength training or with the pack children. Sunghee wanted to spend some time with Wooyoung though, so that's why they decided to come back here to rest together on the couch.

Later that night when everyone begins coming back, Sunghee and Wooyoung are still on the couch. Sunghee having a bottle of liquor similar to the one he had the other night at his side. The wary look in Wooyoung's eyes is easily visible to Yeosang when he comes back in, but Yeosang sees the bottle and doesn't want to get involved as he had previously.

Yeosang instead goes back into the bedroom with Dongwoo before they go to the bathhouses later.

Sunghee clicks the bottle cap off and takes a swig, seeing Wooyoung's leery expression on his face, "Hey, Woo, don't give me that look. You know that the rule is stupid too, yeah?"

Wooyoung swallows his words and just nods, trying to have faith in his mate for once. He finds himself glancing back towards the room where Yeosang is staying, wondering what he was thinking when he came into the building and saw them there. Wooyoung knows he saw Sunghee's liquor and that's why he had that look on his face...

"I mean if they didn't catch us all last time, how do you think they would be able to catch us this time?" Sunghee laughs, but is soon silenced by the entrance of Gyungho and the mated couple that just arrived in Chrysalis, seemingly to have just ended showing them around Chrysalis some more.

Wooyoung's eyes widen at the sight of Chrysalis' head alpha and he cowers down into the couch, knowing how much trouble they're about to get into because of Sunghee's actions.

" **What is this?** " Gyungho asks, his voice increasing in anger, as he walks over to Sunghee and Wooyoung, his eyes focused on Sunghee since he is the one holding the bottle.

Sunghee is at a loss of words when he hears the malice behind Gyungho's voice, "Sir, I-" Sunghee starts, but again, he's interrupted.

Gyungho swipes the bottle from Sunghee's hands, " **You will report immediately to the center building first thing when you wake up tomorrow morning instead of attending the lesson. You will spend the entire day writing that you will never drink on Chrysalis grounds again.** "

Sunghee's eyebrows knit together as the head alpha speaks and he bites his tongue to keep from talking back and making it worse, knowing better than that.

" **Do you** ** _understand?_** " Gyungho asks, hating to use his demanding alpha voice in front of this alpha's omega, but he knows that he must make a point here. If their guests think that they won't punish them just because they think Chrysalis is a tame pack, they have another thing coming. All Chrysalis asks is for respect.

Sunghee stands up and bows towards Gyungho, "Yes, alpha. I understand," He says through gritted teeth.

Wooyoung is shielding himself from the scene, feeling immense embarrassment from Sunghee's behavior. They were supposed to act accordingly while they were here in Chrysalis and something like this is already happening...?

Gyungho eyes the two boys for a few moments before turning around and apologizing to Yunho and Mingi, "Now, everyone here knows how serious we are about our rules, isn't that right?" He says, looking around at the boys that came out from their rooms from all the commotion and the commanding alpha voice they all heard reverberating throughout the building.

Gyungho sees the various nods and bows and then he exits the boys' building.

Wooyoung finally feels like he can breathe and chances looking up at his mate, "Sung-"

"Don't." Sunghee spits as he stands up and goes to their bedroom in silence, leaving Wooyoung on the couch alone.

Yeosang and Dongwoo were peeking out from their sliding bedroom door and Yeosang wanted to go over to Wooyoung so badly, but he held his heart intact and stayed put. His eyes grow with worry for the man he used to love... Used to would be the right would, right? Ever since seeing Wooyoung again, he's not so sure if he can continue fooling himself any longer. He knows he wouldn't be able to get over someone he held so dear to his heart in only one year. 

He shouldn't get involved, right...?

Dongwoo sees the worry on his mate's face as he looks at Wooyoung and he gently rubs Yeosang's shoulder, "Come on, Yeo. Let's go to sleep, okay?" He says, planting a small kiss on the top of Yeosang's head, "It pains me to see you in distress."

Yeosang looks up at Dongwoo and his heartstrings strain, the internal battle with his heart is becoming even worse ever since they came here and he saw Wooyoung again. He nods, though, going back into the warm and cozy bed with Dongwoo. The way Dongwoo looks at him like he's truly in love with him is something Yeosang wants to reciprocate to him, but he doesn't know if he will ever be able to love him in the way he deserves. 

As Dongwoo and Yeosang lie in bed together, Dongwoo clenches his fist to his chest. He saw the way his mate was looking at his old best friend and he realized that Yeosang has never once looked at him in that way. Dongwoo turns back to Yeosang and brings him into his embrace, inhaling his vanilla scent he's fallen for, "I love you, Yeosang..." He whispers to him as his heart slowly breaks.

"I love you, Dongwoo," Yeosang hums, his face nuzzled into Dongwoo's neck to help himself calm down.

The next day goes by quickly, in an almost blur for Wooyoung, but he couldn't help but feel lost throughout the day without Sunghee. He didn't realize how dependent he had become on his mate. In the lessons, he wasn't there by his side making snide comments. Instead, it was replaced with funny looks and people talking under their breaths of what happened last night in the boys' building.

Wooyoung couldn't even begin to explain how embarrassed he was and he just wanted this day to be over and for him to return to his normal routine with Sunghee that night.

The only solace Wooyoung found throughout the day was the reassuring looks of Yeosang. Seeing Yeosang's warm smiles he would show him made Wooyoung's heart race just like it always had.

Being alone today has made Wooyoung realize how much he regrets not confessing to Yeosang when he had his chance. He missed his best friend's comforting vanilla scent and the way that they would wake up holding each other whenever they would sleep over. Not that there was much either of them could've done about their mating situation, Wooyoung still wonders what could've been different if he had taken that chance.

Today, Wooyoung was able to pay more attention than normal on Yeosang and Dongwoo's relationship and he wishes he was able to look away. Seeing them so happy together made Wooyoung question how Sunghee treats him. It made him start thinking about their relationship and if it's actually healthy.

That night, Sunghee never came back to the boys' building, leaving Wooyoung alone for the first time in a long time. The one thing Wooyoung hates most is being alone because it allows him to be in touch with his thoughts. His mind tends to run wild when he's alone and he finds himself comparing his mating to Yeosang's... Yeosang and Dongwoo's perfect relationship was so different than Wooyoung and Sunghee's toxic one.

With all this time to think, Wooyoung began to realize how much he has put up with because of Sunghee and just because he's his mate. He thought he had to do everything for his mate, but Wooyoung isn't so sure about that anymore. A relationship is a two-way street and both parties should be happy.

Wooyoung hasn't been happy for a long time... The last time he can remember being truly happy was before the mating ceremony when he was with Yeosang. He remembers how bubbly and confident he used to be and now whenever he looks in the mirror, all he can see is an empty shell of what he used to be looking back at him.

Wooyoung wasn't sure if he would ever get any sleep that night with his thoughts running wild, but they're soon disturbed by the sound of his bedroom door sliding open. Wooyoung's heart instantly races when the soothing scent of vanilla he's missed so much wafts into the room.

He turns his head around to look at the doorway and sure enough, there's a familiar small figure standing there, illuminated by the moonlight through the window.

"Yeosang...?" Wooyoung chokes out. He didn't realize he had been crying until he tried to speak.

**End of Chapter Twenty Two**


	25. Chapter Twenty Three

"Today's lesson might seem a bit old-school to the majority of our guests, but don't worry, this only applies to members of Chrysalis," Hyejin starts.

Wooyoung can feel Sunghee's eyes on him and it makes Wooyoung feel strangely uncomfortable. When Sunghee returned to him the morning after he spent the previous night with Yeosang. He meets Sunghee's eyes and the guilt begins to eat at him slowly from the inside out. Wooyoung tries to keep his face normal, but he knows Sunghee sees that something is different about him.

Sunghee cocks an eyebrow up as if to ask Wooyoung 'what's wrong?' but Wooyoung shakes his head to say 'it's nothing' and turns back towards Hyejin.

"In Chrysalis, you're not to kiss anyone until you are mated and stick to minimal touching of others unless they're family or your mate. As I'm sure you've noticed, we don't engage in hugs or any of that sort with our other members. Physical contact is reserved specifically for family members or mated couples," Hyejin continues and Gyungho starts to elaborate on it.

While the heads of Chrysalis speak and teach them about today's rule, Wooyoung finds his eyes trailing off to look at the back of Yeosang's head. He admires his long fluffy hair and he thinks about how soft it is and how easily his fingers ran through it.

Yeosang's head turns slightly, but not enough for anyone to notice his brief eye contact with Wooyoung. The look in their eyes when they exchange a glance is unlike any other. The way their eyes light up, it's like their soul ignites with everything that they're feeling. The feelings left unsaid. The movements left untaken.

They were finally handled... and with such delicate hands.

Sunghee sees how Wooyoung continues to steal glimpses of Yeosang throughout the lesson and he can't help but feel an unusual twisting sensation in the pit of his stomach. He knew right when he saw his mate's old best friend again that things were going to be different here. Oh, how we wished he could've been wrong, but it stings to see it staring him right in the face.

During the lessons, San listens intently to what Hyejin and Gyungho say about the rules of Chrysalis members and not engaging in physical contact with other people. He thinks back to all of the times he had touched Seonghwa and he feels slightly bad about it even though he craves it so fiercely.

Just like every day, San is staring at the back of Seonghwa with longing eyes, his wolf becoming more content with just seeing Seonghwa no matter how much he thirsts for their touch. Seonghwa's words from the other night haven't stopped running through his head and even when he tries to push the thoughts away, San sees something that reminds him of his fated mate.

San goes up to Seonghwa after lessons end and the omegas are on their way to the children's building, "Hwa?" He starts and he stops in his tracks when Seonghwa instantly pauses and turns towards him with rosier cheeks than normal.

Seonghwa's eyes meet San's and he parts his lips unconsciously, suddenly finding himself out of breath. He feels his heart rate increase as it always does around San and his wolf urges him to get closer, still yearning for the feeling of San's skin against his. Before meeting San, Seonghwa's wolf was comfortable with being around Eunji since she's an alpha, but now that he's met his fated mate, everything has changed. Everything he feels now revolves around the man in front of him, Choi San.

Whenever Seonghwa sees or feels San's presence, he's immediately drawn to him and wants to go to him.

"Yes?" Seonghwa manages to ask, rubbing his index finger against his thumb to distract his mind a bit.

"You're going to the children's building, right?" San smiles, starting to walk towards it in hopes Seonghwa follows him, which he does, "I wanted to come the other day, but we got interrupted by Mingi and Yunho's arrival. It is alright that I come, yes?"

Seonghwa follows San, soon catching up and walking next to him, "It's fine."

San hums, unable to stop glancing over at Seonghwa's paralyzing beauty as he walks. Seonghwa catches him and narrows his eyes, "What are you looking at?" He asks with a subtle annoyance behind his voice.

San smirks at the question, "Only the most handsome man I've ever had the pleasure to lay my eyes on, of course. What are _you_ looking at?" San asks back, noticing their closeness and he's the one to take a step away this time. He wants to try better to respect Seonghwa's pack rules and values, so he's decided to try and let him make the first move if anything.

Seonghwa's eyes widen and he bites the inside of his cheek, unsure if he wants to reveal his true thoughts. They walk in silence until they're right outside of the sliding door to the children's building when Seonghwa turns around to San.

"I'm looking at..." Seonghwa swallows, "Someone I've come to care about."

San's face flushes at his fated mate's words, but their conversation is soon interrupted by the sliding door opening up.

"You're finally here!" One of the head ladies over the children says, looking between both San and Seonghwa, "It's nice to see you again, San. It's always welcoming to see more alphas come visit the children," She says cheerfully, waving them into the building where the kids are playing and holding their paper boats.

Yunho is hanging around with Wooyoung and Yeosang, having noticed the thick air surrounding them, but he didn't have the heart to ask what was wrong. He's only just met them, so he didn't think it was his place. Yunho's heart is warmed when both of the quiet boys light up at the sight of San and Seonghwa.

"You two got here just in time!" Wooyoung says, putting on a smile as he walks over to the two boys.

Yeosang and Yunho follow Wooyoung's lead, "We're going to have the paper boat race today instead."

"Minhee has been looking forward to this, I've heard," Yunho chuckles.

"Ah, speak of the devil," Wooyoung giggles when the little boy comes over to them with his friend Seungsik. The two boys are both holding their little boats with big smiles on their faces as they playfully hit the fronts of them together.

"We're going to win, aren't we, Sik?" Minhee asks and Seungsik nods curtly, "For sure! Everyone saw our boats and ran," He giggles more.

On their way down to the river for the paper boat race, Wooyoung and Yeosang couldn't stop their fingers from brushing against one another as the memories of last night are still very much at the forefront of both of their minds. One thing they can't miss, though, is the flash of shame when their eyes meet.

The air between the two of them has changed and they know the people around them have taken notice. Wooyoung could see the look in Yunho's eyes that was wanting to ask if things were okay.

_Were_ things okay?

Wooyoung isn't sure.

There are way too many things he's unsure about right now...

Everything was going well with the boat race until one of the little girls, Namjoo, tripped while running after her boat and cut her leg pretty badly. Yunho instinctually ran to her and knelt down, inspecting the injury with his eyes, knowing he's not allowed to make physical contact with any of the Chrysalis members.

"Oh my goodness, Namjoo! Are you okay?" Yunho exclaims as he looks at the cut. He looks back behind him at everyone else running over as well, all of them saying various things like 'oh no' or 'are you hurt?' over the sounds of Namjoo's tears. Yunho sucks in a deep breath as he can sense that her leg might actually be broken from the fall.

Yunho knows he must act fast before everyone is here, so he whispers, "I'm going to help you, okay, Namjoo?" She returns Yunho's words with a nod and wailing.

Yunho hovers his hand over Namjoo's leg, hoping that his magical abilities will work even if he isn't touching his palm to the wounded area. He can feel as his body's power intensifies, much like it had when he healed Mingi and his father, Kangmin. The energy reverberates within him, so he thinks that his powers are working.

It's believed to be true when Namjoo's cries of pain slowly subside into low sniffling and she starts to stand back up by the time the other people of Chrysalis get to them.

"Are you okay, Namjoo?"

"That looked like a really bad fall, sweetie."

Namjoo wipes her eyes and looks up at Yunho, showing him a smile of thanks, "Don't worry! Don't worry! Namjoo is all better," Namjoo says cutely, wiping any possible dirt off of her dress.

Yunho smiles down at her and nods, walking back over to the other boys.

"Was Namjoo really okay?" San asks with concern in his voice, his eyes searching for any contradicting looks on Yunho's face.

Seonghwa watches San carefully, finding it endearing how much he cares about Chrysalis' pack children even though he doesn't know them well. He's noticed for some time now that San is just a caring person in general, and it's a trait that Seonghwa can surely appreciate.

Yunho nods again, "Yes, don't worry, guys. She just had a small scrape, really. Who won the paper boat race?" He asks, looking between Wooyoung and Yeosang.

Wooyoung hops up happily, "Minhee won!"

"But Seungsik was pretty close, it was neck and neck until the very end," Yeosang jumps in.

On the side, Minhee and Seungsik are both sitting together with their boats, splashing them in the water. They were coated with a special waterproof substance that Yunho taught them how to make earlier this week.

"Minhee had the biggest smile on his face when he won," Seonghwa hummed, remembering the moment and how it warmed his heart. He's always had a soft spot for children, especially his pack children.

On their way back to the boys' building that night after they left the bathhouses, Wooyoung feels how strong and all-consuming Sunghee's gaze is boring into him.

However, they stay silent all the way back to their room where they slide into bed together. Wooyoung lays as far away from Sunghee as he can, begging the gods that his mate doesn't smell the sweet aroma of vanilla on his body. Ever since last night, whenever Wooyoung sees Sunghee, he feels this flesh-eating feeling all over his chest. The guilt is literally eating him alive and it's agonizing. He clenches his fist to his chest and curls up into fetal position facing away from Sunghee.

His mind drifts off to the events of last night with Yeosang, and his mind and body are conflicted with the feelings he's having. His wolf is even worse since he's mated to the alpha laying in bed with him right now, yet last night...

Wooyoung made love to another...

~ last night ; **t/w smut**

Wooyoung wasn't sure if he would ever get any sleep that night with his thoughts running wild, but they're soon disturbed by the sound of his bedroom door sliding open. Wooyoung's heart instantly races when the soothing scent of vanilla he's missed so much wafts into the room.

He turns his head around to look at the doorway and sure enough, there's a familiar small figure standing there, illuminated by the moonlight through the window.

"Yeosang...?" Wooyoung chokes out. He didn't realize he had been crying until he tried to speak.

Yeosang's eyes sparkle from the shining light of the window and his eyes water up at the sight of the boy he's loved for so long crying. He can't stand the sight of Wooyoung's pain.

"Woo..." Yeosang whispers, sliding the door closed behind him before he goes and climbs onto the bed with Wooyoung, taking him into his comforting embrace, "You're okay, Woo... I'm here, I'm here, baby."

Wooyoung sniffles and stuff his face into the spot where Yeosang's neck meets his shoulder and inhales his favorite scent.

Vanilla.

They stay like this for a while until Wooyoung's tears come to a halt and his weakened grip on Yeosang's back turns back into a stronger one, afraid that at any moment, Yeosang could disappear from his arms. Wooyoung feels calmed by Yeosang's presence. When they were younger, it was always him who was comforting Yeosang, but now the tables have turned dramatically.

It feels so good to know that someone still genuinely cares about him. He hadn't seen Yeosang in what seemed like forever, and he hasn't seen his family in longer. He's been with only Sunghee for so long, he almost forgot what other's presences felt like. He became trapped in the lethal atmosphere that was Sunghee.

"I-I always loved you, Sangie," Wooyoung reveals, his voice barely above a whisper, but he's sure that Yeosang heard him clearer than the night sky, "I'm... I'm so sorry that I never told you," His voice shakes as he lifts his head up to meet Yeosang's eyes to show his sincerity and authenticity of his feelings for him.

Yeosang rubs down the back of Wooyoung's head, taking in every single syllable he's saying to him. His fingers intertwine into his best friend's hair as tears well up into his eyes, his voice catching in his throat when he's about to respond.

"I know I'm, ah... Much too late, right?" Wooyoung tries to force out a laugh, "But-" He's about to continue, but he's unable to when Yeosang brings him close, taking Wooyoung's lips in his own into an enchanting and insatiable kiss. 

The one thing that Wooyoung never expected to happen, yet yearned for so badly happened.

The kiss that they're sharing completely overtakes both of their emotions and inhibitions, their lips tempting each other's as their motions are slow and dripping with anticipation for the next movement they take with one another.

Yeosang is the first one to part their lips, resting his burning forehead against Wooyoung's, feeling just how warm he also is.

"Woo, I've loved you for so long that I lost count of the days. I can't even remember the moment I knew, I can only assume that it was the first time I ever laid eyes on you. You're the most extraordinary person I've ever met, Wooyoung. I never could've imagined that someone with as beautiful of a soul as yours could reciprocate my feelings..." Yeosang relays all of his emotions to Wooyoung, everything that he's kept bottled up within him for all these years.

Wooyoung smiles, his tears welling back up in his eyes as he listens to Yeosang. His emotions are all over the place from the overwhelming day and with Yeosang confessing to him like this, his heart fills up with happiness and love.

"I should've told you," Wooyoung hums, nuzzling his nose to Yeosang's as their scents of jasmine and vanilla interweave in the air, creating a powerful combination that sets the two at ease and entices them towards each other once more.

Yeosang brings his hand up to gently caress Wooyoung's cheek with his thumb, loving how soft and plush his skin feels under his fingers, "There's nothing we could've done, Woo."

Wooyoung's eyebrows raise with want as his eyes flickers between Yeosang's big brown eyes and his parted lips. His wolf is unsure what to do with itself, having become comfortable and loving towards Yeosang over the many years together, but being mated to an alpha wants to draw him away.

Wooyoung overpowers his own wolf, though.

He leaves no more time for the disheartening words of the fact that they never had a chance of truly being together and brings his lips back to Yeosang's, wrapping his arms around his body to bring their chests together. Both of their bodies feel as if they're on fire as they collide into one another.

Suddenly, the air in the room is hot as the two boys fall into the sheets together, Wooyoung on top of Yeosang's body. When they part from their kiss of fiery passion, Wooyoung can't help but admire the way Yeosang's long brown hair splays itself against the white of the pillowcase. He looks like an angel sent down by the god and goddesses just for him and in the moment, he wouldn't have it any other way.

Wooyoung's wolf is begging to be with someone and being able to touch Yeosang's skin again, ignites something in him. Growing up, his wolf had gotten used to Yeosang's and they liked each other quite a lot. The two boys' own feelings didn't help these emotions subside, and they only grew larger. That's why their feelings for each other never settled after being mated off. They weren't able to ever experience being with one another, so there was always that longing in the back of their heads, calling for them to come back to each other.

And here they are...

"W-Woo," Yeosang pants, his back arching back off of the bed when he feels how Wooyoung needily grinds down onto his hips, tempting him into going further, "This is okay, right...?" Yeosang asks unsurely, feeling the way his mating mark burns with every kiss or touch.

Wooyoung nuzzles his face into Yeosang's neck, planting a million kisses before he answers him with a breathy, "Yes."

Yeosang's eyes flash between his normal brown and a bright gold as Wooyoung begins to unbutton his nightshirt, exposing his milky skin to Wooyoung's kisses and licks. Yeosang bites onto his bottom lip to hold his voice back from betraying him. He takes a sharp inhale when Wooyoung finally trails down to his loose pants, easily sliding them down after Yeosang nods at him, letting him know that it's okay to continue.

Wooyoung keeps his eyes on Yeosang as he undresses him, wanting to make sure he's comfortable for one, and well... God, the way his face contorts in pleasure with every movement Wooyoung makes almost sends Wooyoung over the edge and they haven't gone further than kissing or small touches. Yeosang does things to him that makes his mind run wild, making him lose sight of anything other than this moment.

The only thing that occupies Wooyoung's mind is Yeosang.

Only Yeosang.

"Woo?" Yeosang whines, trying to be quiet, but it's hard when Wooyoung brushes against his briefs on his way up to give him his full attention.

"Yes, my sunshine?" Wooyoung asks with a smile, returning his palm to Yeosang's cheek to once again feel his plush skin on his fingertips.

Yeosang's eyes soften at Wooyoung's smile, having missed seeing it so much. He's realized he hasn't seen it as often as he was used to previously.

"I just wanted to hear your voice again," Yeosang giggles to himself, a wide smile spreading across his cheeks as their lips meet in a kiss, "Let me undress you too," he hums as he runs his fingers down Wooyoung's arm, sending shivers up his spine.

Wooyoung leads them to sit up, him straddling Yeosang's lap, "Mhmm," he hums between kisses, allowing Yeosang to lifts his shirt up over his shoulders and he tosses it onto the floor with his own pajamas. Once Wooyoung's shirt is off, they instantly go back to savoring the sweet taste of each other's lips.

Yeosang rubs down Wooyoung's torso, pulling gently on the skin of his back on his way to the hem of Wooyoung's pajama pants. He plays with the strings teasingly, his fingers grazing the hardened outline that shows through them before he lets Wooyoung slip out of them.

Yeosang breaks their kiss, panting heavily as Wooyoung lays them back down onto the bed, crawling down to Yeosang's briefs again, "Can I?" He asks, looking up at Yeosang through his lashes as he brings his face lower, his fingers slowly slipping into them.

Yeosang's eyebrows knit together in pleasure as he feels Wooyoung's warm touch that close to him, "P-Please," He pleads, clenching onto the sheets after Wooyoung rips them off and begins to lick up his shaft, not breaking their eye contact once.

Wooyoung continues to tease Yeosang, wanting to get him to relax before he slowly inserts a finger into his hole, it already being lubed up from the slick due to Yeosang's arousal. He feels the way Yeosang clenches around him, seeing his eyes close as his back arches up at the sudden bliss. Yeosang settles himself back down after a few moments and Wooyoung proceeds with his impassioned advance, taking his head into his mouth as he inserts yet another finger.

Yeosang cannot seem to hold back his whining and moans any longer since they slip out, filling the small room with the harmonious melodies of Yeosang's satisfaction.

When Wooyoung deems that Yeosang is stretched enough, he carefully slides his fingers out of him, not wanting to surprise him with any quick movements. He lifts his mouth off of Yeosang's member and crawls back up to him after he finally removes his own underwear, letting his hard-on hit up against his stomach.

"I love you, Yeosang," Wooyoung says, smiling at him with glazed over eyes, still amazed that he's with him at this moment, about to do something special together. Something that neither of them will forget. Something that will habituate itself deeply in their brains, unable to let them lose consciousness of it.

Yeosang's eyes sparkle, the golden color completely overtaking his deep brown irises as he gives in to his desire to be with the one he's loved for as long as he can remember, "I love you so dearly, Wooyoung..." Yeosang whispers into Wooyoung's ear as he feels his legs being opened up.

Wooyoung places gentle kisses along Yeosang's jaw as he lines himself up, pressing their foreheads together when the tip of his member presses against Yeosang's entrance, letting it lacquer up with the slick that continues to be produced from both boys. With both being omegas, they're both able to produce slick, allowing ease of access for Wooyoung and a lessened pain for Yeosang.

Yeosang sucks in a deep breath when he feels Wooyoung penetrate him, his eyebrows knitting together once again as he lets out another needy moan, "Woo, w-wait," He gasps at the stretch, panting heavily as they lay there together, Wooyoung pausing as soon as he hears Yeosang's words.

"Is everything okay, sweetie?" Wooyoung asks, concern prevalent in his voice. The last thing he would want to do is hurt the person he loves most in the world.

Yeosang nods his head, "Yes, Yes... I'm okay, I just need a little time to get used to it," He smiles, stroking Wooyoung's face to reassure him that he's okay, "Just go slow, okay, Woo?"

Wooyoung brushes his lips against Yeosang's, their chests skimming each other with every heavy breath they take, "Anything for you, Yeo."

After a few minutes of kissing and words of affirmation and love, Yeosang gives him the go-ahead to move again, so Wooyoung slowly pushes himself into him fully. He rests there for a while so Yeosang can get used to Wooyoung being completely inside of him.

Wooyoung gently starts to thrust in and out of him, making sure his touch is tender as he brushes his fingers down Yeosang's chest while they kiss. Their kisses are heated and dripping in fondness and appreciation for one another. Never have they ever felt a feeling quite like this one. The pleasure of knowing the feeling of loving one another will only grow from here. Throughout all the world's pains and challenges, they will have the other to lean on in those hard times.

When Wooyoung looks into Yeosang's eyes as they make love, he feels like he could never love him more than he does right now, but when the sunrises tomorrow morning, he knows he will love him even more.

Yeosang and Wooyoung's voices mix together in the air along with their scents, combining together into something more beautiful than either of them could imagine. The moment passes much too quickly in their eyes, and soon, they're laying together in each other's embrace, whispering sweet nothings into the other's ears.

"Stay with me tonight...?" Wooyoung asks with pleading eyes.

"I'll stay with you forever, Woo... I never want to leave you again," Yeosang responds, letting their lips brush together for the last time that night.

They're unable to tear their eyes away from each other as they lie there, and Wooyoung realizes how many nights he's spent feeling so alone, waiting for Yeosang. Waiting for the two of them to meet again so he could finally do things right. So he could finally communicate every single one of his feelings to him.

Neither one of them will ever forget knight, nor have any regrets.

But they didn't even think to consider the guilt...

**End of Chapter Twenty Three**

\-----------------------

That was the first 'smut' I've ever written and haha guess who found a way to make it pretty sad? That's right [insert emoji with sunglasses here] I did. Hopefully, it wasn't too bad.

This chapter is over 4.2k, so I'm hoping this makes up for the week I missed a while ago <3 I love you guys.


	26. Chapter Twenty Four

"Today's rule we will be discussing shouldn't come as a shock to anyone sitting here, as it's a widely accepted precedent among all packs. That rule is to never cheat on your mate," Gyungho says, making a dramatic pause, "In any sense of the word, mind you."

Hearing the head alpha of Chrysalis say this, makes Yeosang and Wooyoung feel uneasy. Their stomachs toss and turn as they think about the acts of treason they've committed together.

Sunghee keeps his gaze on Wooyoung throughout the lesson. He thought he had smelt something on him last night when they were in bed together, but he couldn't place it exactly. He did notice, however, that his mate has been spending quite a bit of time with Yeosang. Sunghee kept brushing it off since they _were_ best friends before the mating ceremony. Maybe they still were.

Wooyoung looks down at the floor as Gyungho speaks, remembering every word that Yeosang spoke to him the other night.

"I just wanted to hear your voice again."

"I've loved you for so long that I lost count of the days."

"You're the most extraordinary person I've ever met."

The words that haunt him most were the ones you always knew deep down, he just never wanted to accept them. That there was nothing they could've done to change what their lives have turned out to be. Although Riverside is not as strict as Chrysalis, they still have their own rules and values. Just as every pack does.

Yeosang keeps his hands placed nicely in his lap, having a small conversation with Dongwoo about what they did yesterday. Yeosang smiles brightly when he talks about the paper boat race the children had, and it makes Dongwoo happy to hear how excited Yeosang seemed about the whole thing.

Dongwoo thought he saw something a bit off about Yeosang, though, but when Yeosang told him about the young Chrysalis girl falling, he assumed that to be the cause. There's just something that's been different about him recently, even his scent has become a bit faint, but he's brushed it off since they're in close proximity with so many other wolves all the time. He tries not to worry himself, though. 

Dongwoo thinks about Yeosang being around a bunch of children and it warms his heart, knowing that one day their little family will be similar. He can't wait for the day when he sees Yeosang out there playing with their own children.

Kyelin jumps into the discussion and suggests that she and Dongwoo come visit the pack children with Yeosang someday instead of going to strength training. Dongwoo agrees quickly, the thought of seeing Yeosang interact with the children warms his heart and makes him forget about all of the offbeat behaviors he's seen.

Yeosang nods cheerfully, glad to see how well Kyelin fits in with them. She's opened up a lot more ever since the arrival of Yunho and Mingi.

Speaking of Yunho and Mingi... Where are they?

Yeosang turns his head to look around for the pairing, letting Dongwoo and Kyelin talk among themselves. He looks for a few seconds with no avail, but he catches sight of the tall couple in the back of the room. They're holding hands and can't keep themselves from nuzzling into one another's shoulders.

Yeosang chuckles to himself, knowing they must've come in a bit late today since they usually sit next to the three of them.

After lessons, Yunho and Mingi decide to skip out on going to strength training and visiting the pack children. They instead agree to go back to the boy's building together.

"Are you feeling okay, my love?" Mingi asks, rubbing down Yunho's back until he eventually rests in the small of it. He noticed how his mate's tension has been a bit high ever since yesterday and that's why he suggested that they spend the afternoon alone together before everyone comes back.

Yunho relaxes into Mingi's touch, the feeling of his touch always making him feel completely content, "I'm okay, Min."

Mingi hums and surprises Yunho by scooping him up into his arms so he can carry him back to their room, "Are you absolutely _sure?_ " He tries again, knowing how stubborn his fated mate can be when it comes to revealing how he's really feeling.

Yunho's eyes shine as he studies Mingi's face, ending up nuzzling his own face into his mate's neck as he thinks, "I... _might have_ used my powers," he whispers, hoping his love won't be too disappointed in him.

Mingi sighs, having known that this was coming. He could sense it. Anything that involved Yunho, Mingi already had a sneaking suspicion on -- since they're fated mates, their instincts with each other are heightened, almost scarily so. Mingi lays Yunho down on their bed after sliding the door closed with his foot, "Ah, I thought so," he hums, kissing down his mate's neck.

"You knew?" Yunho asked, shocked. He's always surprised when Mingi already knows what he's going to say sometimes. It's the worst when he's trying to surprise him, but it can hardly be called a surprise when Mingi can read him like a book. It's almost like he was the author.

Mingi hums again, his lips vibrating against Yunho's collarbone before resting on his mating mark, "Tell me the real story, Yun," he chuckles lowly, looking up into his eyes teasingly, "Or else there won't be any loving before the others come back."

Yunho's cheeks burn red as his eyes meet with his alpha's, "M-Mingi..." he gasps when Mingi trails his fingertips down the sides of his body, "No one saw me do it."

"Mhm, mhm... Except for the person you healed, yes?"

Yunho nods, but he can't hold back his smile when one of his mate's hands reaches his own, their fingers instantaneously intertwining, "It was when Namjoo fell," he reveals. Yunho told Mingi about the situation with the young Chrysalis girl's fall.

Mingi uses his free hand to traipse along the bottom of Yunho's shirt hem, lifting it slowly, "She probably didn't realize what was happening with the pain clouding her judgement, so Namjoo likely just thinks of you as the man who helped her."

"She didn't look scared," Yunho assures.

"That's good, my love," Mingi climbs back up to hover above Yunho, his shirt now revealing his mate's smooth chest he loved so much.

Yunho sat up slightly so Mingi was able to remove his shirt with ease before Yunho also took Mingi's off. He loved the feeling of being skin-to-skin with the one he loved so dearly.

"Now where were we?" Mingi asks, pressing his lips back onto Yunho's where they fit so perfectly. The gods and goddesses truly blessed Mingi in this life, he knows he couldn't ask for a better fated mate. Mingi would give anything for Yunho to live and be happy.

Yunho uses his free hand to run his fingers through Mingi's hair as their kiss deepens, their lips parting slightly to allow their tongues to meet in the middle. The sweet dance that they do together sends the most heavenly sparks through both of their bodies that neither of them could ever get used to.

Yunho squeezes Mingi's hand as he wills him to put more of his weight onto himself, loving the way it feels like their bodies become one when he does so.

" _I love you more than the moon loves the sun,"_ Mingi sends through their mind link as they kiss.

_"And I love you more than all of the stars in the sky, Min,"_ Yunho sends back, his mind filling with joy when Mingi smiles into their kiss.

Never did Yunho ever think he could love someone as much as he loved Mingi. He didn't believe his heart had the capability of a love so wide, it was wider than the sea, wider than the lengths of all the galaxies. He couldn't ask for more in life. Yunho knew that with Mingi by his side, he would be nothing but happy the rest of his life.

~

Yunho and Mingi are walking out of the boy's building to go watch the sunset together by the river when they're stopped in their tracks by a select choice of words directed towards the alpha.

"I still can't believe that beautiful omega would still accept him after all that destruction on his own pack. I mean, didn't you hear that he was actually the one that killed Essence's alpha?"

Mingi whipped his head around, getting sick and tired of having to hear all of these blasted rumors about him and his mate. His gaze falls onto Sunghee, the owner of the words. He also sees how Wooyoung's eyes widen at his mate's words, really wishing he wasn't there right now.

"Excuse me?" Mingi says, trying to keep his tone down, not wanting to get too angry.

Yunho quickly squeezes Mingi's hand, really not wanting to cause a scene, especially with all of the Chrysalis members walking around outside. One of them is bound to see if there would be an altercation.

"I was just telling them about how much of a coward you are," Sunghee chuckles and Mingi is about to grab him by the shirt collar, but is too late.

Hongjoong and Jongho both had interrupted and shoved Sunghee to the ground, "Leave him alone," the two of them growled together, apparently having the same idea as the other.

Sunghee makes a subtle 'oof' when he hits the ground, flicking his eyes over to see a few of the Chrysalis girls' shocked expressions, so he decides to whine in "pain" as if the two alphas that pushed him down actually hurt him.

Yunho notices Sunghees acting and also the way one of the Chrysalis girls runs off, coming back quickly with the head alpha's mate, Hyejin.

"What is going on here?" Hyejin asks, looking between the boy on the ground and the two boys standing in front of him.

Sunghee starts off first, "These two here thought it would be wise to push me down, Miss Hyejin. Isn't that right, baby?" He looks over at Wooyoung, but Wooyoung is frozen. Mingi and Yunho are his friends. He would never back up Sunghee on this one and he shot pleading eyes over to them, hoping they wouldn't ping him as guilty by association.

"Is this true?" Hyejin turns her attention towards Hongjoong and Jongho and they open their mouths to say something, but there's not much they can contradict. They were the ones that pushed him down.

"Yes," The two say in unison.

Hyejin grits her teeth at the situation, "You two do realize that this sentences you two to receive a mild punishment, yes?"

Hongjoong bites down on his bottom lip, nodding towards her. Jongho also nods, but he glances over at Hongjoong with venom in his glare. He didn't want a punishment, much less with _this_ fool. He's having much too many flashbacks of the last time they were punished together.

"You two will report to the center building tomorrow morning, is that clear?"

Again, the two boys nod as Hyejin walks away.

Sunghee chuckles, crossing his arms once he's back to standing up and he goes into the boys' building without saying anything else, just a smug look on his face. Wooyoung looks back and forth between the small group of boys and his mate walking off and his chest is pounding. He does a small bow hoping that they know he's sorry for Sugnhee's actions and then he follows after his mate.

Mingi nods towards Wooyoung as he goes after Sunghee and then he turns his attention towards Hongjoong and Jongho.

"Thank you guys, really. I feel bad for getting you two into trouble, though," Mingi says apologetically, hating how his temper almost overflowed in that moment with Sunghee. He's been better about keeping it under control after meeting Yunho, the love of his life, but sometimes everything can get to be too much for him.

Hongjoong flashes a smile, "It's no problem, Mingi."

"Yeah, I hate the way that kid acts," Jongho scoffs, looking back to where Sunghee walked off to with a glare in his eyes, "I don't know why Wooyoung chose him as a mate."

Hongjoong nods, "Wooyoung is much too good for him, I swear it."

Yeosang and Dongwoo walked up in that moment and heard about what they said, so he thought he should clear the air about a few things, "He, uhm... He didn't have a choice," Yeosang says to them.

Jongho tilts his head in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"In Riverside, we have a process that kind of chooses our mates for us. Or, rather, we get a small pool to pick from due to certain conditions," Dongwoo explains, wrapping his arm around Yeosang lovingly.

Yeosang nods, "We only had two choices..." He says solemnly, remembering back to the day when they got their results back and saw their two alphas' names staring back at them.

Jongho hums lowly, "That sounds stupid..."

Hongjoong nudged him roughly with narrowing eyes, "Be respectful. This is why Alpha Daesung even allowed us to come here. You're so closed-minded."

Jongho growls under his breath and crosses his arms, muttering something as he turns around and goes into the boys' building. Hongjoong had thought he heard something about him saying how he's dreading tomorrow because he has to spend the whole day with Hongjoong.

"I don't think it was so bad," Dongwoo smiles down at Yeosang, admiring how beautiful he looks with his grown-out hair. He would always ask him if he was okay with having his hair that length, but Dongwoo loved it. Dongwoo remembered how his hair was similar the first time he ever saw Yeosang and how much he adored it.

Yeosang smiles back widely, letting his body and head lean into his mate's chest, trying not to let the guilt override the happiness Dongwoo brings him. He has a lot he needs to think about for sure... Yeosang can't bear to hurt Dongwoo, but the inevitable awaits him.

The boys talk for a while more before they all go back to their rooms. Yunho doesn't stop giving Mingi loving gestures and saying sweet things to him until they finally fall asleep that night.

~

"How could you do that, Sunghee?" Wooyoung scolds, referring to the way he was talking about Mingi earlier.

Sunghee shrugs it off as he lays back into bed, letting his back lean against the bed frame, "It was just a joke, Woo, chill out."

Wooyoung cringes slightly at the nickname, hating the way it sounds on his tongue. He stays quiet for a moment while he dresses into his pajamas.

"Woo?"

Wooyoung looks over at Sunghee with an angered look, "I can't believe you would say that to Mingi... He's our friend, Sunghee."

"Yeah, _your_ friend maybe, but he's not mine. I hardly know the guy," Sunghee hums, tying the strings on his pajama pants.

"He's been nothing but kind to us, him and Yunho. You know that he didn't kill Essence's alpha, Sunghee," Wooyoung mumbles.

Sunghee scoffs and sits back up, "You're kidding, right? His pack destroyed the grounds of Essence, you know. You've _seen_ the damage, Wooyoung. That was Bloodbane, Mingi's pack."

"You're so stupid sometimes..." Wooyoung utters under his breath as he sits down on the bed with his mate.

" _What?_ " Sunghee's voice gets a bit louder, his anger having built up over the past few days and he knows it's about to spill out, "What did you just say?" He asks, but his heart sputters when he sees the way Wooyoung flinches at his voice. Sunghee turns his full attention to Wooyoung and studies him, still smelling the faint scent of vanilla surrounding his mate.

That's _not_ Wooyoung's scent.

He's been smelling it on him for a while now since he's been back, but he didn't think anything of it -- or he didn't want to. Sunghee knows who has the scent of vanilla and it sickens his stomach to always be smelling it on his mate. The one thing that bothered him most about it though was how oddly strong it was the day he got back.

Why was it so strong, Wooyoung...?

"I-I-" Wooyoung stutters, feeling how his heart starts to quicken in pace at Sunghee's raised voice, "I said that you're stupid."

Sunghee growls, "And why is that, huh? Because I don't want to associate with trash like him that will bring me down? I don't even want you to be around him, Wooyoung. You've been different since we got here and I can't stand it."

"Different how?" Wooyoung asks, not wanting to acknowledge the horrible things he said about Mingi. He wants to try and deflect the conversation elsewhere, but he could never have prepared himself for where their conversation would lead to afterward.

"You've been spending so much time with that omega friend of yours, you know, the little one. So much time that I can smell him on you, Woo," Sunghee says bitterly. He never liked Yeosang much at all.

Wooyoung's eyebrows furrow at his mate's words, "Yeosang is my best friend, Sunghee," He asserts, but his voice weakens when he continues, "I... I only smell like him because we're always together after lessons when we spend time with the pack children..."

"Then why don't you smell like any of the others? Never once have you smelt like Yunho or Seonghwa or any of them!" Sunghee's voice keeps rising in volume, "You come back here to me reeking of vanilla and it's repugnant, Wooyoung. Where did that incredible jasmine scent go? It's being completely masked and- and... Th-There's no reason for it to be that strong unless he's been touching you, Woo."

Wooyoung's sitting on his knees now, his eyes filling themselves to the brim with tears as he stares at Sunghee while he talks.

He knows.

_He knows._

"Has he been touching you?" Sunghee gets up to be facing Wooyoung, putting his hands on his shoulders, "H-Has he?" His voice waivers, choking back the tears of anger that threaten to come out, "Tell me, Wooyoung!"

Wooyoung's never seen Sunghee like this in the whole time they've been together. Never has he once seen his mate cry - or almost cry. The way his voice stutters when he talks breaks Wooyoung down, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks as he falls into his mate's eyes.

"We..." Wooyoung hesitates, feeling how his mating mark on his neck burns with the thoughts of Yeosang and what they did. It ignites in pain the longer he stares into Sunghee's eyes, seeming into his soul. His wolf is feeling just as pained as he continues, "We slept together..."

Sunghee isn't sure he even heard Wooyoung right when he just barely catches the words he said through the loudness of his own thoughts.

"You what...?" Sunghee manages to get out, feeling the agonizing burning coming from his own mating mark. His wolf is overcome with anger, his eyes unable to stop flashing between a deep crimson and his normal brown. He feels as his grip on Wooyoung's shoulders tightens, causing his mate to slightly wince.

Wooyoung's head is so distracted with conflicting emotions, he doesn't even notice the burning intensifying on his neck, "Yeosang and I, w-we slept together," He says again, his voice shaking, even more, this time around as he sees Sunghee's reddened eyes.

An uncomfortably long silence fills the room while they sit there together, Sugnhee's grip still tightened around Wooyoung's shoulders as his head drops to look at the covers below them.

"Right here...?" Sunghee asks, venom interlacing his words as he speaks.

Wooyoung nods, not sure if Sunghee can see him, but there's no way he would be able to get any more words out.

Sunghee can sense his mate agreeing to his question and his wolf growls vehemently within him, wanting to come out. He wants for Sunghee to shift, so he can rip him apart. Sunghee tries to hold his wolf back, prying his hands off of his shoulders and instead onto the covers of the bed. In moments, the covers are ripped and he yells out in anger as he stands up from the bed.

Wooyoung scoots himself back to the headboard and curls himself into a ball as he sobs silently while watching Sunghee tear apart their room.

Sunghee destroys all of the furniture in the room, leaving it broken and in shambles on the floor much like his heart. He keeps shaking his head, trying his hardest to keep his wolf at bay before he comes out and hurts Wooyoung.

Wooyoung is left shaking on the bed, the lamplight flickering from all of the movement and destruction and his eyes only fill with more fear when Sunghee finally turns his attention towards him.

"I-I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Wooyoung cries, his face twisted into despair.

Sunghee finds himself walking over to Wooyoung with his hand held out to grab him, but he stops himself mere feet before reaching him.

"Stop."

" _Stop._ "

" **Stop.** "

Wooyoung hears Sunghee mumbling to himself, his breathing becoming erratic as he backs away from Wooyoung slowly. His wolf is going to come out. He has to get out. He has to stop.

Wooyoung's fear clouds his thoughts, his eyes blurred from all of the tears, but he doesn't miss the slamming of their bedroom door after Sunghee leaves the room.

Wooyoung is left alone once again...

Shaking and crying...

Wondering what he could've done differently.

**End of Chapter Twenty Four**


	27. Chapter Twenty Five

Wooyoung managed to find it in himself to calm down enough to fall asleep last night, even through all the tears and coldness. What he didn't expect to wake up to, however, was Sunghee shuffling around their room packing up all of his things.

"S-Sung..." Wooyoung whimpers, the pain still radiating from his mating mark as he gazes over at him, "What are you doing?"

Sunghee grunts as he zips up his now full backpack, standing up as he slings it over his shoulder, "I'm leaving."

Wooyoung rips the covers and sheets off of his body as he crawls haphazardly to the edge of the bed, becoming frantic, "Where? Where are you going?" He asks, his voice quick.

"Chrysalis received a letter from my father requesting me to return home as soon as possible, he said he would explain when I got there," Sunghee hums, "You can stay."

With that, Sunghee leaves their bedroom and slides the door shut before Wooyoung can manage to get out of the bed and go after him. Wooyoung's shocked by what his mate says.

He can stay?

What does that mean?

Is Sunghee... Leaving him?

Wooyoung slides the door back open and runs through the boys' building as Sugnhee's leaving, seeing his back turned to him as he's walking away from him.

"Wait!" Wooyoung calls, his tears, once again, welling up and threatening to leak down his cheeks, "Sunghee, don't leave me alone... Please," Wooyoung begs, grabbing onto Sunghee's shoulder to turn him around, "D-Don't leave me alone again..."

Sunghee scoffs at Wooyoung's pleads, shrugging his hand off of his shoulder. He can't stand his touch any longer. Not after Wooyoung admitted what he had done. Even his wolf even is conflicted with the thought of Wooyoung cheating on him and it makes him unable to keep eye contact.

Wooyoung watches in tears as Sunghee turns back away from him, causing his mark's pain to become excruciating. He notices as Sunghee flinches at the same moment the pain gets worse.

He must be feeling it too.

"Sung, please," Wooyoung keeps trying, but his body starts to feel no will to walk or continue going after Sunghee when he hears what he says next.

"I don't want to see you again, Wooyoung."

Wooyoung's eyes widened and became blurred with tears, his body stilling again as he fell to his knees. He pays no mind to any of the others walking around him or mumbling words he would only assume are about what's happening.

Wooyoung's mind is completely empty.

_He_ is empty.

Wooyoung can feel his internal wolf crying right along with him, his eyes glazing over as Sunghee's figure disappears behind the sliding door of the boys' building.

Wooyoung's unsure of how long he was knelt there, he couldn't seem to process time, nor could he process what had just happened to him. All that was going through his mind was

_Rejection_

He couldn't rid himself of the pain he felt throughout his body, but most of it was concentrated on his neck where his mating mark was. Where Sunghee's mark was. Wooyoung was only able to come back down to Earth when he felt a familiar hand rest on his shoulder.

Vanilla.

The calming scent entered his nostrils and tried to ease his body, but it couldn't tame the flood of agony and heartache Wooyoung was going through.

"Woo?" Yeosang's voice echoed through Wooyoung's mind. His vision became clearer when he saw Yeosang squat down in front of him, "Wooyoung, what's wrong? Where's Sunghee?" Yeosang's voice is notably worried, and it only grows when his eyes stop on Wooyoung's neck.

The mating mark on Wooyoung's neck has reddish-blue veins surrounding it, but the mark itself isn't as bold as one normally would be.

Wooyoung's body sways, "R-Reje..." He tries, but the words don't fully come out.

Wooyoung's mind is getting dizzy again, but he can hear a few voices surrounding him. Eventually, Wooyoung is picked up by Dongwoo and is brought back to the room he and Sunghee once shared, Yeosang in tow.

The moment Wooyoung is set on the bed, he curls up into a ball with all of the covers clenched in his fists, inhaling the scent Sunghee had left on them. His wolf instinctually longs for his mate that left him. As he lies there in a ball, a shock of pain bursts through his stomach and he begins to sob silently.

Yeosang and Dongwoo look at each other and Dongwoo nods knowingly, letting Yeosang stay and attempt to comfort Wooyoung to try and understand what is going on with him. Dongwoo feels a pain go through his body, especially on his mating mark, when he sees the way Yeosang looks at Wooyoung and he knows in the back of his mind that something is wrong, but he goes back to their room silently.

"Woo..." Yeosang whispers, not wanting to startle Wooyoung in any way, "We don't have to talk about okay, love? We can talk about something different," Yeosang reassures as he gently pets Wooyoung's hair, flattening it down as he lets him cry into his chest. He's completely wrapped himself in anything that smelt like Sunghee.

Wooyoung's eyes look lifeless as he looks up at Yeosang, but there's conflict there. Staring up into Yeosang's eyes makes him feel something at least, which is more than he's felt since Sunghee left. He really doesn't know how long it's been, but he can only assume it's still the same day.

Wooyoung gets lost as he gazes deeply into Yeosang's eyes, the light able to come back into his own. All Wooyoung can manage is a nod, his eyes still watering.

"Okay, Woo. I'll tell you about things to help get your mind off of things, okay?" Yeosang says, laying the two of them into the bed to get more comfortable together. There's no way Wooyoung will be able to go to lessons today, so Yeosang won't either.

Wooyoung nuzzles into Yeosang's chest, clenching the covers to inhale Sunghee's scent still at the same time as Yeosang's. Something bad is happening to him and he doesn't understand what. All Wooyoung knows is that his mark is burning intensely and his body feels like it's convulsing - a feeling that he's never experienced in his life. He's only ever read about it in storybooks when he was a younger teen.

Yeosang brushes his fingers carefully over Wooyoung's neck, trying to examine the veiny mess it's become around the lightening bite mark, "Hongjoong and Jongho left early this morning to serve their punishment," Yeosang tries to force out a chuckle, "They were even bickering on their way out... I'm not sure they'll last long alone together."

Wooyoung's whimpering eventually stops as he continues to focus on Yeosang, letting him touch him and care for him in his time of need. He can feel his body getting hotter though, it must be the covers he's wrapped himself in. Wooyoung listens to Yeosang as he talks more about their friends they've made here, not realizing his lips parting in a small pant.

~ **the next day**

San is surprised the next morning when Hongjoong and Jongho come back to the boys' building for that day's lesson. He hasn't seen or heard them bicker hardly at all and he's beginning to grow suspicious.

What exactly happened between the two of them yesterday...?

~ **last night**

"Do we _really_ have to stay like this all day?" Jongho whines, his teeth visibly gritting together as he looks at Hongjoong, who's knelt right in front of him. Facing him, so they'll be forced to look at each other for the entirety of the day while they go through with their punishment until the evening when they're required to stay here away from everyone else. They're not allowed outside contact until they've properly served their punishment to the fullest.

Hongjoong holds Jongho's gaze, "Yes, you heard Hyejin. We broke one of their rules, and now we're paying for it, don't you see? You need to learn to be accountable for your actions," He says a bit more harshly than he intended to.

"I do know how to be accountable, Hongjoong," Jongho spits, his wolf internally growling. His knee shifts on the ground and it causes some of the water to spill out of the bowl he's holding above his head, "Dammit," he curses under his breath and tries to re-straighten his posture, knowing it's easier that way.

"What a fool," Hongjoong mutters under his breath.

Jongho's eyebrows furrow instantly, bearing his fangs to him improperly, "Don't you dare start right now, Joong. Not here," he hisses. The last thing he needs is for them to be fighting when they're in _this_ position.

They're only two hours in, and they're already this close to ripping each other's head off?

This might not go so well...

The day goes by so slowly and both boys are tired beyond belief by the time Hyejin comes in the room. She tells them that they're allowed to drop the bowls and get up off their knees to go to bed.

Almost in unison, the two boys let go of the bowls, their arms falling to their sides like jelly and they finally relax their bodies.

"Goddess..." Jongho breathes out as his body collapses as soon as Hyejin leaves them, causing a low _thump_ when he hits the wooden floor.

Hongjoong lies similarly across from him, "I don't think I'll even make it to the mattress," he huffs, breathing heavily from all the pressure they just put their bodies through. He's not sure if he would even be able to stand up properly.

Jongho laughs, holding his chest while doing so, "I'm right there with you, buddy."

"I've never been so exhausted in my life," Hongjoong says as he pulls his eyes away from Jongho and stares up at the ceiling, "I'm seeing stars."

"Come on, now you're the one being a fool," Jongho says with a smirk, his gaze still on Hongjoong, looking at him while he looks elsewhere. He can't help it when he starts thinking about how handsome he looks staring off into existence like that.

"Oh shut up."

That night, Hongjoong is lying calmly in his bed when he starts to hear the sound of whimpering coming from the be next to his.

_Jongho's bed._

Hongjoong rolls over and squints his eyes to look at him through the darkness, seeing the way he tosses and turns, moving the sheets about. For some reason, Hongjoong feels drawn to go over to him -- to help him. He remembered how just over a year ago they were in a similar situation, and how he would always hear his uncomfortable hums.

He must be having nightmares...

Hongjoong can hardly control himself when his body moves on its own, getting out of his own bed and going over to Jongho's. He lies down in the bed with him and slowly, the whimpering subsides.

The room is once again filled with silence until Jongho turns in bed again, facing Hongjoong.

The two boys lay there together, gazing deeply into one another's eyes. Hongjoong didn't startle at all to see Jongho awake, in fact, it made his wolf purr at the contact and attention he was receiving.

"Thank you," Jongho whispers before he lets his forehead fall into Hongjoong's chest.

Hongjoong doesn't reply with words, letting his actions do the talking as he caresses the back of Jongho's head, feeling how smooth his hair feels against his fingers. The way his heartbeat seemed to mellow out under his embrace was something he could get used to. Something he knew he would come to crave when it was no longer there.

Jongho easily lulls back into his slumber, his wolf becoming content with their present situation. His former nightmares replace themselves with faded images of Hongjoong's face and special moments the two have shared over the years when they weren't fighting.

They did grow up together and were once friends, but that all changed when they got into their teen years and began alpha training. Jongho began wanting the position of head alpha just like Hongjoong, so they quickly made the change from friends to enemies. Jongho _did_ sometimes miss the friendship he and Hongjoong had shared, though... Perhaps even a bit more...

Hongjoong was the one with him when his father passed away - he was the one that helped him get through it. They both had looked up to Jongho's father since he was such a powerful alpha, being just below Alpha Daesung. They were only five when it happened, but Jongho remembers it like it was yesterday, he'll never forget the morning when Daesung came to him and his mother explaining what happened out on one of their hunts.

Their small hunting pack of the four top alphas in Nightshade went out on their monthly trek to snag a few giant elk before winter set in. While they were out tracking down an elk, a few hunters entered the area and mistaken Jongho's father for a different animal. There wasn't much the other three alphas could do about the silver bullet that pierced through his father's neck.

Hongjoong would always come by the Choi's home after schooling to see Jongho. Jongho has gotten excused from schooling for a month after the events of his father's passing to allow him and his mother, Youngmi, to grieve him properly.

His mother was in a fragile state of devastation after her life-long mate died so suddenly. Youngmi had been through a lot in her lifetime, losing two loves of her life in her short amount of years. After the passing of her mate, Jongho's father, she became especially protective of her son, but one thing she always wanted was for him to have a long and happy life. Youngmi didn't mind who or what rank mate Jongho would choose, just as long as he loved them. She didn't mind what path he took in life, just as long as he was proud of what he was doing.

Jongho knew his mother was the strongest person he's ever known and he will always cherish her kindness and acceptingness... Especially in moments like these when he's coming to terms with a part about himself he kept hidden away for so long.

Jongho liked Hongjoong.

**End of Chapter Twenty Five**


	28. Chapter Twenty Six

  
  
  
A few days later, San is briskly running through Chrysalis after he woke up that morning. His heart races from how fast he's moving, but also at the thought of seeing Seonghwa's beautiful face once again. Seonghwa is the light of his life that burns so bright, the fire within his soul that ignites emotions he wasn't sure he would ever be able to find in his life.   
  
  


San always wanted a mate, but the responsibilities of his rather poor pack made it seem impossible. With Seonghwa, San is able to see a fulfilling future, but the complications rise once again with the whole 'rules situation' and Seonghwa already being promised to another alpha of Chrysalis. He shakes his head, getting distracted from his array of thoughts and slides open the door.  
  
  


They're going on a hike through the mountains this morning, or, that's what Gyungho announced to them yesterday evening.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Eun-" Areum starts, turning towards the slid open door, but is surprised to see a strange alpha standing in the doorway, "Who are you?"  
  
  


San's eyes widen in embarrassment and he immediately begins bowing deeply to the floor, apologizing, "I'm so sorry, miss. I didn't mean to intrude, I must've gotten the wrong room," He explains frantically, trying to be as formal as he can be.  
  
  


Areum giggles and waves her hand in the air, "No, no, it's not a big deal. I was waiting for someone, actually... Are you looking for Seonghwa?" She asks, tilting her head, knowing there can't be anyone else the alpha man was looking for on this wing. It's only her room and Seonghwa's room.   
  
  


San nods, finally standing up from his knees, his eyes brightening up from hearing Seonghwa's name, "Yes, I was coming to get him for the hike today~"  
  
  


Areum studies the alpha's face, noticing his reaction to mentioning her brother's name and she hums to herself, "What's your name?"   
  
  


"Choi San."  
  
  


Areum taps her finger on her arm, knowing she's heard that name before. She thought she had heard her mother mentioning something about him before, "From Eclipse?"  
  
  


"Yes, Miss Areum," San bows again instinctually.  
  
  


Areum giggles again, finding it amusing how the alpha -- San -- keeps referring to her so formally, "Just Areum is fine. Go get my sleepyhead of a brother and have a great time today," she smiles brightly, but there's some sadness behind it, as she wishes she could be going on this trip with them.  
  
  


San's heart sinks just a bit at seeing her face, knowing that the Park's daughter has been ill for some time now. Will she even be able to attend the festival...? San himself had only heard about the festival a few days ago, but he overheard Eunji saying how she didn't want to dance in it without Areum. Not that San was purposefully listening to Eunji's conversations, he was just walking by.  
  
  


San exits Areum's room and goes to the room next door. How could he have gotten them mixed up? It's not like this is his first time to Seonghwa's room. He scolds himself and slides open the door to Seonghwa's room, putting his cheerful face on quickly, "Good morning Seonghwa--"   
  
  


San swears that his heart stopped in that moment, his eyes flashing a deep crimson at the small glimpse of Seonghwa's bareback his eyes catch. His wolf purrs deeply at the sight of his fated mate in such a state, impure thoughts ravaging his mind at the doing of his wolf.   
  
  


Seonghwa whips around, tugging his robe tight with clearly rosier cheeks than normal, "What are you doing?" He asks, his voice flustered. He sees the red fading in San's eyes and his own wolf wants to give into him. Seonghwa looks at the ground, hiding, knowing his eyes will have a golden tint shining in them.  
  
  


"I-I..." San stutters for a few seconds, truly at a loss of words, so he waits for his body to calm down before continuing, "I was coming to get you for the hike. You are going, right, Hwa?"  
  
  


Seonghwa nibbles on the inside of his cheek, feeling the way his stomach does somersaults at the nickname his fated mate has given him. He gives him a nod, walking over and his nostrils are overwhelmed even more by San's intoxicating rose scent. He wouldn't tell anyone, especially not San, but the smell of the two of their scents mixed together melts his mental walls down.  
  
  


San smiles happily, showing off his dimples as he's about to wrap his arm around Seonghwa, but holds back. He learned about their no-touching rule, and even if they _are_ fated mates... Seonghwa hasn't necessarily accepted him yet, so San wants to try and respect his mate's pack values the best he can for him.  
  
  


That won't stop him from making suggestive comments, though, "You look absolutely breathtaking this morning, Seonghwa."  
  
  


Seonghwa hums, biting down on his bottom lip in an attempt to hold back his words, but he's becoming more and more unable to control his mouth around San, "Thank you. Now, shall we go?" He says, going past San and out of his room, unconsciously letting their hands brush against each other.  
  
  


San smirks and laughs as he follows Seonghwa, meeting up with everyone in the center of the grounds.   
  
  


San notices how Yunho and Mingi are talking with Kyelin, Dongwoo, Yeosang, and Wooyoung. San's been concerned about Wooyoung's health over the past few days ever since Sunghee had left Chrysalis. He couldn't help but notice the purpling of the veins on Wooyoung's neck around his mating mark. San knows the deeper meaning for them and it makes his heart ache for his friend... He hadn't seen it in person before, but he knows all of the signs of a mate's rejection after the fact of the mating process. He doesn't want to pity the boy, but he does. San worries if Wooyoung will even make it through this hike, but seeing that Yeosang and Dongwoo are at his side puts him at some sort of ease.  
  
  


Jongho and Hongjoong walk up together soon after San and Seonghwa do, and they actually seem civil for once. San knows something has been going on with the two of them. He thought he saw something in the group sleeping area the other night, but his eyes could've been mistaken...   
  
  


"How is Areum doing, Seonghwa?" San asks, knowing he's going into a touchy subject, but he will lighten it as soon as he can.  
  
  


Seonghwa's surprised by San's interest in his sister's health, "She's been in the same state for a while, nothing has really been changing..."  
  
  


San nods, seeing the saddened look in his fated mate's eyes, "You know, I accidentally went into her room this morning thinking it was yours," he chuckles, and his laugh only grows louder by Seonghwa's shocked expression furthering.   
  
  


"You what?"  
  
  


San nods curtly again, "She found the situation quite funny, actually. She was waiting for someone, too, and thought I was them. Ah, she must've been spooked, but I cleared it up, I promise!"   
  
  


Seonghwa's eyes narrow, "How could you have gotten them mixed up? Do you have any sense?"  
  
  


San smirks at Seonghwa's snappy tone that he missed, "Oh, Hwa... I thought you would've known the answer to that question by now," he winks playfully.   
  
  


Seonghwa scoffs and shakes his head, crossing his arms.  
  
  


Yunho overheard the two boys talking about the condition of Seonghwa's sister and he knows he wants to do something about it. He can't help but wonder if he would be able to cure it. One thing that he and Mingi both agreed on was to let Yunho secretly use his powers to heal his father. No one knew anything, they just knew that Yunho's father, Kangmin, finally recovered from his illness. Healing a few more people wouldn't hurt, right?   
  
  


Yunho's thoughts are interrupted by Kyelin's arm sliding across his shoulders happily, "Yun, what happened to your smile? Mingi won't like it if you're frowning all day, isn't that right, Min?"  
  
  


Mingi studies his mate, knowing he's thinking of the Park's daughter. It's the one thing he has a love-hate relationship with his mate about - Yunho's wanting to help everyone injured or ill ever since finding out about his healing magic. It's much too dangerous in Mingi's opinion, but as soon as Yunho's bottom lip pops out in a pout and his eyes shine similar to a young pup, his heart goes soft and he wants to give him everything he wants.   
  
  


Mingi wraps his arms Yunho from the back after Kyelin lets him go and he rests his chin on Yunho's shoulder, "We will talk about it later tonight, my love," he whispers and gives him a soft kiss on his mating mark.  
  
  


Yunho hums in agreement, watching Kyelin go back to join in on the conversation with Dongwoo, Yeosang, and Wooyoung. He thought he saw something stirring in Kyelin's eyes whenever she looked at Dongwoo, but it was weird for him to think about. She might have an affinity for the alpha, but Yunho knows she would never act on it when Dongwoo is happily mated to Yeosang.   
  
  


The only time he ever saw Kyelin crushing on anyone was... Well, she's never really _had_ any sort of crushes -- or at least, none that he knew of. Yunho wishes she could've had better luck in love, and not be smitten with an alpha there's no chance of having.  
  
  


"Are we all ready for our hike today?" Gyungho's voice rings throughout the center of the grounds with power behind it.   
  
  


Roaring cheers come from everyone gathered there, all of them excited to explore the woods, especially since they were given the go-ahead to choose between being in their human form or wolf form.   
  
  


Hongjoong and Jongho both knew they wanted to do the hike in their wolf form, but after their recent exchanges, they were nervous about what their wolves would do once they had a bit more power. Growing up, their wolves became accustomed to one another and after that romantic encounter they had last year, their wolves craved each other more and more.   
  
  


They gave a side glance before both of them shifted, being the first ones out of the whole group to do so. Their fur coats complement each other well, both being darker in color - it's clear they're from the same pack, or if not, a close-blooded one.   
  
  


" _Are we the only ones going to hike in our wolf forms?_ " Jongho says through their mind link, looking around at everyone else.  
  
  


" _Just wait,_ " Hongjoong sends back, and soon enough, a few others shift into their wolf forms as well, but not many.   
  
  


Gyungho bows his head once at the group and then turns, "Let's go, my eldest and I are the leaders for this hike, so don't be fearful to ask us any questions. It won't be too strenuous on your bodies, I can assure you of that."  
  
  


Dohyon walks beside his father, his mate in tow. Seonghwa watches them and feels proud, glad that his brother has become such an asset to their family. He's always been the one to take initiative and was confident in his skills of becoming the head alpha in the future, so Seonghwa always would look up to him when he was younger -- even if he didn't seem like it. Seonghwa appreciated Dohyon. He hopes that in the future, he will be able to express that feeling better to him. For now, he's still taking his time coming back out of his shell and that's okay.  
  
  


Seonghwa steals a look at San and sees that he's already staring back at him.  
  
  


"You like what you see?" San asks, the corners of his lips turning up teasingly.  
  
  


Seonghwa cocks an eyebrow and hums, turning his back away from him again and begins walking after everyone else. He senses that San is following behind him and it warms his heart up, finding it endearing how eager the alpha always is. It almost takes his mind away from his inevitable fate with Eunji.  
  
  


Eunji?  
  
  


Where is she, anyhow?  
  
  


Seonghwa goes over all of the people walking and spots her towards the back, trying to catch up.   
  
  


Was she visiting Areum? San _did_ say that Areum said she was waiting for someone. Hmm... He can't put his finger on it, but something seemed different whenever he brought Eunji up to see Areum for the first time in a while. Ever since his parents allowed people to start visiting her again, he can only assume Eunji has been going there on her own accord. She's never brought anything up, though...  
  
  


"I'm _so_ excited for this hike. Being cooped up in one place was never my style anyway, right, Yun?" Mingi's voice powers through Seonghwa's thoughts. The alpha is quite compelling in his speech, always bringing others' attention towards him. That's the capability of a head alpha's son, Seonghwa thinks. Dohyon has always been similar.   
  
  


Yunho giggles, nuzzling up under Mingi's arm that's bringing him in, "I know, I know... You like to move, but you always come home to me," he hums softly, a sweet smile appearing on his face.   
  
  


Mingi kisses the top of Yunho's head, "That's right, my love. I'll always come home to you."  
  
  


San's mind buzzes as he hears the mated couple's interactions, loving the way they are each other's perfect balance. His gaze wanders to Seonghwa, like it often does, and he imagines the two of them acting like that.  
  
  


One day...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**End of Chapter Twenty Six**


	29. Chapter Twenty Seven

" _You ready to shift and eat?_ " Hongjoong asks Jongho through their link.

Jongho nods, following Hongjoong behind a cluster of trees so they can shift and cloth themselves, "What? You don't wanna devour everything we brought like pigs in front of everyone?" Jongho laughs, smirking towards Hongjoong.

Hongjoong huffs and goes through the woods a short way to a cliff they discovered right before shifting, "I wouldn't mind either way."

Hongjoong sits down right on the edge, looking out at the beautiful scenery that lays out in front of them. Incredibly lush forestry and land spans out as far as the eye can see and the bright blue sky ridden from clouds shines down nicely onto the greenery, giving it a more lifeful look.

"It's gorgeous out here, wow. I never knew a place like this existed among us," Hongjoong chuckles, pulling out the fresh meat sandwiches they packed before heading out that morning, "Here," he added, handing Jongho his sandwich as he sat down next to him.

Jongho hums, taking the sandwich. He looks down at it before taking a bite, noticing how Hongjoong added extra meat onto his like he always liked and a smirk crosses his lips, "It's alright."

"Alright?!" Hongjoong gasps, shoving his shoulder in a playful way.

Jongho narrows his eyes, "Hey! We're too high up to be doing that shit," he curses, scoffing and turning back to focus on eating his sandwich.

Hongjoong shakes his head and goes to eat his as well, eyes drifting over to Jongho mowing through his, "You're welcome, by the way."

"Yeah, yeah, thank you," Jongho mumbles, finishing up his sandwich.

Hongjoong laughs, lifting his knees up to his chest so he can rest his chin on them, "I added extra just like you like," he smiles over at him, his eyes falling on Jongho's lips. Hongjoong's mind starts to go south, but is stopped by the amount of crumbs left on Jongho's face.

Jongho's cheeks go rosy, "I know... I didn't think you would remember," he hums, not noticing Hongjoong and his hand getting closer to him and his face.

Hongjoong crawls over to Jongho on his knees and lifts his hand to his face, brushing the crumbs off of his mouth.

"Of course I would remember."

Jongho flinches at the sudden touch, moving his head to look, only to be face-to-face with Hongjoong. His face visibly gets even more red, at a loss for words when an innocent hand brushing crumbs off becomes a soft caress of Jongho's cheek, drawing him in for more.

Hongjoong smiles and gets closer, their lips mere millimeters away from meeting.

"Hey, can we eat with you guys--?"

Jongho startles away from Hongjoong fast, getting frustrated at the sudden interruption, "We were just leaving," he huffs, getting up in a rush and he throws his backpack back onto his back before walking off behind one of the trees to shift.

Hongjoong sighs, watching longingly as Jongho hurries off, "Well... I guess it's time to continue our hike then," he says, rolling his eyes as he stands up, "Sorry, you guys."

San flashes Hongjoong a bright smile and waves his hands in the air, "Hey, hey, it's no problem! We didn't mean to uh- disrupt you two or anything, right, Hwa?"

Seonghwa shakes his head once, fiddling with his fingers while he holds the small basket San had brought for them. He decides to stay silent, not wanting to make the situation any more awkward than it already was, but he admires San's way of trying to act like it was nothing. San does that a lot, now that Seonghwa thinks about it. He's always been quite level-headed like himself in that sense.

San and Seonghwa watch Hongjoong go after Jongho and see as they shift back into their wolves before taking off.

"Let's see how good this view is," San says, having heard a few of the Chrysalis members talking about it.

Seonghwa just nods, following San up towards the cliff's edge. It's been so long since he's come up here, it must've been at least ten or eleven years from what he can remember. He thinks back at how he and his two siblings would come eat here when they went hiking, too.

"Woah..." San exclaims, his mouth agape as he stares out at the breathtaking landscape before him.

Seonghwa comes up beside San and looks up at him, "I used to come here a lot," he reveals.

San smiles over at Seonghwa, showing his cute dimples, "I can see why you would, it's beautiful up here. Just like you," he smirks, sliding in a compliment so he can see the blush appear on his fated mate's cheeks.

Just as San predicted, Seonghwa's cheeks do darken, "Shut up," he mumbles, pulling out a blanket for the two of them to sit on.

San sits down with him and helps get out the food he prepared with the help of the kitchen the previous night. Seonghwa starts to reach for the last thing in the basket, but San stops him, "Ah, ah, ah, no that's for when we're finished," he explains, trying his best not to touch Seonghwa's hands, but they grazed a few times while pulling everything out.

Seonghwa nods, biting on the inside of his cheek when he meets eyes with San, "I'll look forward to it," he says as he unwraps the various meat kabobs.

San hums happily as he eats side by side with Seonghwa, feeling at ease today since Seonghwa's mother Hyejin stayed back at the grounds to keep watch on Areum. Since she's not there, the constant feeling of eyes on him is lifted. He's noticed how often she looks between himself and Seonghwa and he can't help but sense she knows something about the two of them.

Does she know they're fated mates?

"Who did you come up here with?" San asks, curious about Seonghwa's past.

"My brother and sister."

"Why did you stop?"

Seonghwa finishes one of the kabobs and looks over at San, "We got older, we drifted away from the childish things we would do together."

San pauses eating to listen to Seonghwa, "Do you miss it?"

Seonghwa is surprised by San's interest in his life and by his question. Does he? A small bout of sadness flows over him and he just nods, no words leaving his mouth.

"I don't want to... invade your privacy, Hwa, but it hurts me to see how lonely you look. I know that you don't necessarily accept me, but I want you to at least know that I'll always be here for you," San says in a meaningful tone, serious about everything he says.

Seonghwa's eyes widen, a fuzzy warm feeling overcoming his body at San's sweet words. Seonghwa hopes that San knows how thankful he is for him. No one seemed to ever notice enough to care about how lonely Seonghwa has always felt. He knows that it's inescapably his own actions that led him to be so closed off, but he's dug himself so deep that he no longer knows how to climb back out.

Seonghwas' eyes water and he hesitantly places a hand over San's, letting their eyes do all the talking in this quiet moment they share together. San shows him a smile of devotion and he chances gently squeezing onto Seonghwa's hand, taking every little inch that Seonghwa gives him as he begins to open up. He feels like he's been making so much progress since he's arrived here, and San is so proud of his fated mate's accomplishments, no matter how menial they may seem on the outside.

"How is your pack?" Seonghwa asks after they finish their meal, watching San as he pulls out the last covered plate that he wouldn't let him pull out earlier. He remembers his father saying how poor Eclipse was after the war so long ago and how they could hardly recover with how little people there were left. Seonghwa saw first hand when his family went there last year... There weren't a lot of people at all...

San reveals the plate, showing two small slices of chocolate cake and he chuckles at Seonghwa's audible gasp.

"We're doing better," San explains, getting out forks for the both of them so they can eat their cake, "A few mated couples that chose to stay in Eclipse gave birth to new pups not long before I got here, so the whole pack was excited. Much like your excitement about this cake," he smiles, looking up at Seonghwa, catching the corners of his lips turning up.

Seonghwa shyly nods, "Yes, thank you..." He says softly, eating his slice of the cake, "Why do people leave?"

San lets out a breath, "Well, Hwa... After the war that destroyed most all of Eclipse, many of the members left, not wanting to be surrounded by the constant reminder of their losses. Which, I understand, but if everyone continues to leave, it will never get better. You cannot just run from your problems," San says, seeming to have thought about this topic a lot in his alone time.

Seonghwa listens to San intently, feeling hit by his words.

_You cannot just run from your problems_

Seonghwa sighs, knowing that that is exactly what he's been trying to do for so long now. Maybe San is right.

"I do not mean to run from you, San," Seonghwa starts, "I hope that you can understand..."

San shakes his head, "No need to worry, my dear. There's much on your plate to think about, and much to uphold. Just remember what I said earlier, okay?" San shows him a hopeful and understanding smile, wanting to reassure Seonghwa that he is far from disappointed in him.

Seonghwa feels his wolf urging him towards San, and he knows his wolf must be in agony having San right in front of him all the time and doing nothing about it. There's so much conflict in his head, yet his heart only knows one solution.

"I have a surprise for you later," San starts, "When we get back tonight, make sure you don't head straight to bed."

Seonghwa's heart pounds at the anticipation for tonight, wondering what it could be San has planned for him, "Just... Make sure you get the right door this time," he plays, a small smile coming across his lips.

San feels his body ignite as soon as he sees Seonghwa's smile, finding it to be the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, leaving him breathless for a moment. He can't think of anything better than seeing Seonghwa happy, "I will."

"Wooyoung, are you feeling okay?"

Wooyoung looks to where the voice is coming from, his vision blurring, "I'm okay, I think...?" He says, hearing hushes voices as he's sat down to stabilize.

"His scent is too strong to not be."

"Isn't he on suppressants?"

"His mate did leave the grounds, though."

"Didn't you see his neck? I think something is wrong..."

Wooyoung looks up to the voices, seeing Gyungho, Dohyon, and his mate he never caught the name of. He feels uncharacteristically hot and he can't stand the feeling of it, his mind is flooding back with thoughts of Sunghee and he keeps trying to shake his head in an attempt to shake him away. The rejection is hitting his body and mind like a truck.

"Come here, Wooyoung, Dohyon and Haewon are going to take you back to the grounds, okay?" Gyungho says, approaching Wooyoung carefully.

"Why?" Wooyoung asks, looking up at him with glazed eyes.

"We think... That your heat is coming, so we have to take you to the omega building until it's run its course."

Wooyoung tilts his head as he stands up, confused, "But I'm on suppressants, it's impossible."

Gyungho sighs, "We know that, but we cannot take the chance. With all that you have been going through recently," he mentions, referring to his mating mark and his mate, "We believe your body is going into a forced heat to try and lure your mate back to you," Gyungho explains.

Yeosang sees Gyungho and his son talking with Wooyoung, so he comes over, "Is everything okay, Woo?"

Wooyoung looks over to Yeosang, becoming scared with the information he just learned, "I-I, uh, don't think so...?" He says, still confused with the situation he's found himself in. His body can't seem to cool down and he wishes it would stop so badly. He's never felt anything like this before, but if what Gyungho says is right, he's going into a forced heat.

Wooyoung has never been through a heat before since their pack, Riverside, puts their omegas on suppressants as soon as they're able to have heats. They do this so that they will be able to be saved for their mating ceremony, and after that they're able to regulate their own suppressants. They can decide at what time to come off of them to produce pups, and Wooyoung had decided he didn't want to stop taking them yet.

He wasn't ready for pups, and especially not with Sunghee... No matter how much Sunghee wanted them.

Wooyoung knows he no longer has to worry about that, though. He won't be having pups in the future. He focuses back on Yeosang and suddenly, the realization doesn't bother him as much. As long as he has a chance with Yeosang, he doesn't care about whether or not he has pups.

The one thing that concerns him is Dongwoo... Wooyoung hates how selfish he's being, trying to take Yeosang away from him, but his ego overrides his charitableness in this situation. The only way Wooyoung would let Yeosang go now, is if he were to say he didn't want to be with him.

Yeosang nods at Gyungho as he explains Wooyoung's situation, becoming extremely worried for Wooyoung at this point because he knows he's never experienced a heat before.

"I can go with him, right?" Yeosang begins to ask, but pauses when Dongwoo's arms wrap around his waist, asking if Wooyoung is okay. He thought he had smelt his scent becoming especially strong.

"It will be best if Wooyoung goes alone, since he will have to be taken care of by the older omegas of our pack. I hope you two understand," Gyungho says apologetically.

Yeosang and Dongwoo both nod, but Yeosang gives Wooyoung a hug, "We will be back soon to check on you, Woo."

Wooyoung hums sadly, nodding as his mouth is open so he can pant from the overheating of his body. He follows Dohyon and his mate Haewon back to Chrysalis grounds.

Wooyoung mentally prays that his heat will go away soon, cursing his wolf for wanting Sunghee back so badly that he sent his body into overload. He knows his wolf wants an alpha, but Wooyoung scolds himself, telling himself that he needs to try and fight for what he really wants.

And what he really wants is Yeosang.

**End of Chapter Twenty Seven**


	30. Chapter Twenty Eight

Yeosang pants as soon as he flops his back onto his and Dongwoo's bed, "That's the most walking I've done since we first came here," he breathes out, his forehead still wet with sweat.  
  
  
  


They just got back from hiking, and Yeosang feels absolutely exhausted -- and his mate, Dongwoo is right there with him... However, he still has a bit of stamina left in him as he crawls up over Yeosang on their bed, shining a smile down at him, "Yeo~ You did so good today," Dongwoo praises.  
  
  


Yeosang giggles, his eyes trailing up and down Dongwoo's body as he hovers over him, "I could barely move my legs towards the end there, you know."  
  
  


"Mmhmm," Dongwoo hums, nuzzling his nose into Yeosang's mating mark, "That's why I offered to carry you the rest of the way," He says, running his hand down Yeosang's side gently.  
  
  


Yeosang smiles, "You're the best, Dongwoo..." He breathes out, biting down on his bottom lip when Dongwoo's hand reaches the curve of his hips. Yeosang sits up and connects his lips with his mate, his wolf craving Dongwoo's kisses even when it's hardly been a day without them.   
  
  


Dongwoo's surprised by Yeosang's eagerness, but he falls into the comfort of their kiss easily, letting his other hand come up to caress the back of Yeosang's head so his neck won't hurt. He lays them back down onto the bed and his wolf growls lowly as Yeosang's hands tease him, playing with the hem of his clothing as they deepen their kiss.  
  
  


Yeosang slowly begins to remove Dongwoo's clothing as their kiss becomes more heated, but Yeosang gasps when Dongwoo finally releases from the kiss to move down to his neck.   
  
  


Dongwoo ravages Yeosang's neck with kisses and soft love bites, liking the way Yeosang leans his head back to allow him more room.  
  
  


With Yeosang's head back against the pillow, he finds himself staring up at the ceiling as he pants, his needy body rolling his hips up against Dongwoo's.  
  
  


"I love you so much, Yeosang," Dongwoo says softly before going back to kissing on his neck, his hand going down to clasp itself with Yeosang's.  
  
  


Yeosang feels his eyes start to water at Dongwoo's statement of love, feeling this unusual pang of pain in his chest. He feels wrong, but his wolf feels so right. He wants to be with his mate, of course.   
  
  


Yeosang's mind can't help but linger towards thoughts of Wooyoung and how it felt when he was the one touching him. He feels an overwhelming amount of dread come over him and his body starts to slightly shake. Yeosang's throat feels as if it's closing in on itself as he looks down at Dongwoo still holding his hand and showering his neck with affection.  
  
  


Yeosang slowly lets his grip on Dongwoo's hand loosen and a sting goes through his mating mark.  
  
  


"Yeo...?" Dongwoo asks worriedly, looking up at Yeosang to see tears streaming down his cheeks and his eyes ridden with fear, "Oh my- Yeosang, what's wrong? What's wrong, baby?" Dongwoo immediately sits up, getting off of Yeosang to tend to him.  
  
  


Yeosang's eyes follow Dongwoo's movements, his words sounding like they're muffled by the flood of emotions that's filled his thoughts.  
  
  


"I-" Yeosang tries to speak, but seeing the caring way that Dongwoo looks at him makes it all the more painful.  
  
  


"Yeosang, it's okay, baby... I'm right here, okay? Please let me know what's bothering you..." Dongwoo says softly, not wanting to overwhelm or startle his mate.  
  
  


"Dongwoo..." Yeosang starts, his voice feeling lost, "I-I did something unforgivable..." He finally says, and as soon as he says it, his mating mark begins to burn. It's not an intense burn, but the ignition is clear.  
  
  


Dongwoo also feels his mating mark start to burn and he's about to continue trying to calm Yeosang down, but he suddenly can't. His eyes drift down to Yeosang's neck and he stares at his mark he made a little over a year ago.  
  
  


Both boys sit in silence with one another.  
  
  


An unspoken understanding rests between them.  
  
  


Dongwoo's the first to speak up, "What did you do, Yeosang...?" He finally manages to ask, wanting to hear the words come out of his mate's mouth, unable to believe what his mind has concocted up in that devastating silence they just shared.  
  
  


Yeosang wouldn't do that...  
  
  


Dongwoo meets eyes with Yeosang, his own filling with tears just as Yeosang's had, "I-It's okay..." He whispers, still trying to be there for him.  
  
  


Dongwoo's voice breaks Yeosang, a loud cry escaping his mouth as he breaks their eye contact and forces his head down so he doesn't have to face this situation head on.  
  
  


"It's not okay, Dongwoo..." Yeosang says between gasps, trying to catch his breath through the sobs, "I-I... I cheated on you," he says, and as soon as the words leave his mouth, his mating marks seethes in excruciating pain.  
  
  


Dongwoo flinches at the scorching flames he feels beneath his skin, but his body stills as he sits there on his knees with Yeosang. His heart pounded loudly in his chest as Yeosang's words echoed through his brain.   
  
  


He knew. Of course, he knew, deep down... But to hear Yeosang actually say it made it real for him. He should've known when his mark kept hurting, but he always pushed the thoughts away, not wanting to believe the truth that was right in front of him.  
  
  


The only sound that can be heard in the room is Yeosang's sobs.  
  
  


After a few more minutes of silence, Dongwoo slowly wraps his arms around Yeosang and embraces him once again. He quietly shushes his mate, choking back his own emotional wreckage to ensure Yeosang stops crying.  
  
  


Yeosang's sobs tone down into sniffles and he looks up at Dongwoo when he pulls back from him, seeing the hidden pain in his eyes and the way his mating mark is going all veiny similar to Wooyoung's was doing.  
  
  


"A-Are you not angry at me, Dongwoo...?" Yeosang asks shakily.  
  
  


Dongwoo sighs, "I'm not angry, Yeo... I'm just... Sad," He tries to give a smile, but all hope he tried to put in it was missing, "I love you, Yeosang... But, if you don't want to be mated with me anymore, it's-- it's okay... I just want for you to be happy, Yeosang, even if that is not with me."  
  
  


Yeosang rubs his eyes and under his nose, knowing he looks like an absolute mess right now in front of Dongwoo, but he can't control it. He can even sense his wolf's sadness as his mating mark slowly disappears. Yeosang watches as Dongwoo's mark slowly fades as well, and he's confused.  
  
  


That's not what happened with Wooyoung's mark...   
  
  


What makes this so different...?  
  
  


Dongwoo brings Yeosang in for another hug and gently kisses the top of his head, "Please live a happy life, Yeosang. Promise me?" He asks, tears finally shedding and exposing his real emotions as he makes eye contact with Yeosang.  
  
  


Yeosang nods, wiping away Dongwoo's tears with his thumbs, "I promise, Dongwoo... But, you promise me too. You're much too good to not be happy... I'm so sorry that I've done this to you. You didn't deserve this," Yeosang cries.  
  
  


Dongwoo connects their foreheads and smiles through the tears, "I promise, Yeo."  
  
  


Yeosang feels an odd sense of calmness as they sit there together, both accepting the mutuality of their break-up. Their marks soon fade into a slight skin color change of where they once were, their veins around them still popping out a bit, but their color starts fading as well.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


That night, Hongjoong and Jongho are in the group sleeping area, laying down after getting home from the exhausting hike they just partook in. They're both caught up in each other's stares that neither of them say anything, enjoying the soothing silence of just lying there together -- or as close as together they can be, being on two separate beds.  
  
  


Jongho chews on the inside of his cheek, trying to build up the courage to reach his hand out for Hongjoong to hold onto. He's been thinking about doing it for what feels like hours, but he can't seem to move his arm.  
  
  


"Can't sleep?" Hongjoong asks, breaking their pact of silence with a smile.  
  
  


Jongho shakes his head and finally gets it in him to reach out for Hongjoong, "Nah... You?" He says nonchalantly, trying to make it not seem like a big deal to him.  
  
  


Hongjoong smirks when he sees Jongho's hand jut out toward him. He meets him in the middle and intertwines his fingers with Jongho's, "I want to talk more with you. Can we go outside?" He says, ignoring his question and looking around at all the other guests already asleep in the beds near them.  
  
  


Jongho quickly nods and sits up, a bit too eagerly, "Of course," he whispers, standing up without losing hold of Hongjoong's hand as the two exit the group sleeping room and make their way towards the exit of the boys' building.  
  
  


Hongjoong sits down with Jongho, letting their legs brush up against each other as he rests their entwined hands in his lap. He watches Jongho's attention drift across the way, so he looks over as well.  
  
  


They see what seems like a female alpha entering into one of the Park's rooms.  
  
  


Their gaze is soon brought back to the front door of the boys' building sliding back open, seeing San on his way out.  
  
  


"Where you going, Choi?" Jongho asks, quickly pulling his hand out of Hongjoong's and putting them behind his back.  
  
  


San smiles confidently towards his two friends, "I'm going to see Seonghwa," He explains, patting the rolled-up blanket he has under his arm. His heart beats faster at the thoughts of seeing him, and he hopes he hasn't fallen asleep yet. Seonghwa did seem pretty tired after their hike.  
  
  


Hongjoong chuckles, "Ahhh, you two be safe," He winks and leans back on his hands as well, one of them crawling over to touch Jongho's again without San seeing.  
  
  


San's eyebrows furrow and his face heats up, "W-We are _not_ doing anything!" He dismisses, shaking his head. His wolf purrs at the thoughts that enter his mind, but San does his best to get back into the innocent territory of his mind.   
  
  


"Mhmm," Jongho teases, his smirk mirroring Hongjoong's, "That's what they all say."  
  
  


San scoffs and starts walking away towards Seonghwa's room, not wanting to stay for the friendly bullying these two are putting him through. San ignores the continued teasing calls Hongjoong and Jongho still send him as he walks off.  
  
  


He walks down the hallway, passing Areum's door, but he swears he hears voices and quiet giggling, followed by coughs coming from her room. San doesn't pay much mind to it, being too focused on his oncoming night with Seonghwa he had planned out.  
  
  


San stands in front of Seonghwa's door and gently knocks, praying to the goddesses that he's still awake. San's prayers don't go on for long, though, when Seonghwa's door slowly slides open, revealing the omega dressed in a more comfortable-looking white robe that's clearly for sleeping.  
  
  


Seonghwa's eyes sparkle as he looks up at San, feeling the way his heart skips a beat. He really came, Seonghwa thinks to himself.  
  
  


"Would you like to come watch the stars with me, Hwa?" San asks, a smile coming across his lips as he holds back the urge to caress his fated mate's face and admire the stars he already sees in Seonghwa's eyes.  
  
  


Seonghwa hesitates at first, "I'm not sure..." He says, reluctant to accept immediately before he thinks about the possible repercussions he might face if anyone were to find out. Seonghwa's wolf hums within him, urging him forward, and he knows that his wolf wants for him to go. It's not that Seonghwa doesn't want to go with San, he's just nervous that doing this might get San into trouble. They have to be careful around each other.  
  
  


Seonghwa is surprised at his own thoughts, shocked that he's worried about San's safety first instead of his own. He's so used to worrying about himself, that this new change in thinking is making his brain turn into mush. Why is San doing this to him? Not that he can complain...  
  
  


"I won't touch you, if that's what you're worried about," San reassures, "I want to show you that I respect you, Seonghwa... I was not aware of your rules before."  
  
  


Seonghwa can't hide his surprise this time. San was worried that he was uncomfortable with his touch?  
  
  


"It's okay," Seonghwa says, his eyes catching on San's hand and the urge to hold it crashes into him like a wave. Did he just say it's okay? He's never let anyone touch him aside from his family, and even then, hardly at all... Why would he allow for San to have free reign over his body? He feels his wolf purr as Seonghwa reaches out to clasp onto San's hand, the familiar sensation of electricity bursting through both of their bodies.   
  
  


San's eyes widen, looking down at their hands united as one makes his heart do somersaults while his skin burns warmly. He looks back up to Seonghwa, only to see him looking away with a faint blush on his cheeks.  
  
  


"Let's go," Seonghwa says softly, tugging on San's hand for him to lead them to where he wanted to take him.  
  
  


San smiles brightly again and nods, leading Seonghwa off a little way into a large field of grass. The sun has completely gone down by the time San lays out the blanket he brought for the two of them. The stars are shining in the sky and the moon is full, allowing them some light as they lie down together on the blanket.   
  
  


San looks over at Seonghwa, admiring the way the moonlight illuminates his fated mate's face, "You're so handsome, Seonghwa. I don't think that I've ever seen anyone that catches my eye quite like you do. I mean... it's understandable considering our situation," he says softly, keeping his voice low.  
  
  


Seonghwa takes the chance to turn his head toward San and meets his eyes instantly, "But?" He asks, figuring that San has more to say.  
  
  


San smirks at Seonghwa's knowingness, "I know I'd be taken by you even if we weren't fated to be together. There's just something about you, Hwa. You put up this cold-hearted exterior, but I know there's warmth in you. I've seen it," he squeezes Seonghwa's hand, "Aren't you starting to see it, too?"  
  
  


Seonghwa's eyes soften when San compliments him, never having thought that he would be _this_ affected by such remarks. He's never cared much for praise, but from San? He's realizing this is something that he could get used to -- that he _wants_ to get used to. Seonghwa tightens his grip on San's hand when he feels him squeeze, thinking about what San said.  
  
  


Is he opening up more?  
  
  


Is he warming up to him and others more now?  
  
  


Seonghwa nods slowly, "I've been feeling different since you came here, in all honesty..." He reveals, wanting to let out his feelings for once instead of keeping them bottled up within him, "I felt something back when we first met in Eclipse, too, but I refused to allow myself to accept you back then. I... I don't even think I properly can now, but," Seonghwa pauses, making sure he has San's full attention as their eyes never leave each other, "I hope you know that, I-- I want to."  
  
  


San's heart electrifies as Seonghwa talks about his thoughts and how he's been feeling.  
  
  


"I want to accept you, San..." Seonghwa whispers, barely audible as his breath catches from his own surprise at what he's admitted aloud for the first time.  
  
  


San's wolf goes wild inside of him not only from his and Seonghwa's close proximity, but mostly from Seonghwa's confession.   
  
  


He wants to accept him...  
  
  


"Can't you...?" San asks, trying to sound confident as usual, but he has a feeling the reply won't be one he wants to hear -- even if he already knows what it'll be.  
  
  


Seonghwa lets out a sigh and rolls back onto his back to stare up at the dark sky full of shining stars, "It's impossible for us to be together, San."  
  
  


"You said that back then, too... But isn't there anything we can do? I could talk to Eunji, I could talk to your parents--" San says frantically, staying turned towards Seonghwa as he goes through all the possible options.  
  
  


"You can't."  
  
  


"Seonghwa..."  
  
  


Seonghwa sucks in his bottom lip, his emotions feeling like they're on a rollercoaster that doesn't seem like it's stopping anytime soon. His inner wolf is stirring within him, purring at all the contact he's allowing. His wolf tries to tell Seonghwa to let go and be with San, but his strict discipline keeps him from completely taking over Seonghwa's mind. He does take over a small portion, however...  
  
  


Seonghwa shifts his eyes to look back at San, only to see him still looking at him, as if he was waiting for him to return back to his gaze. He can't control himself when his eyes flicker to San's lips. He's admired them before, when San wasn't looking, but lying here with him under the stars, they look especially tempting, both to him, and his wolf.  
  
  


Through all of Chrysalis' rules, one thing that can be said as an umbrella rule would be to never give into temptation.  
  
  


But...  
  
  


Seonghwa's lips part as his eyes become glossy as he looks back and forth between his eyes and lips.   
  
  


_Do not kiss anyone until you are mated._   
  
  


Seonghwa finds that his mind is at war with itself as his authoritarian side of himself battles the side that just wants to surrender. As the rules run through his brain, one thing stays at the forefront.  
  
  


San _is_ his mate.  
  
  


Official or not.  
  
  


Seonghwa shakily reaches his hand up and caresses San's cheek, his eyes widening at the burning sensation flooding his skin starting with his hand. He can't imagine how blushed his cheeks must be by now, but judging from the tender smile gracing San's lips, he can only assume he's scarlet.  
  
  


Seonghwa's fear lessens when he notices San leaning into him as well, knowing that both of their wolves must be losing control at the prospect of having each other's lips finally united.   
  
  


Seonghwa closes his eyes when San takes his face into his own hands as well, letting him take the lead as he gently presses his lips onto Seonghwa's. Their bodies feel like they go up in flames when they finally meet as one, both of their touches careful and precise while they explore the locks of one another's hair.   
  
  


While the kiss felt like it lasted for years, it didn't feel like long enough, in Seonghwa's eyes. They parted and San pressed his forehead against Seonghwa's, "I would wait a lifetime for you, Seonghwa. Please... Spend more time with me like this before we have to leave each other..." He whispers against Seonghwa's lips.   
  
  


Seonghwa's heart feels like it stopped the moment their lips met, his mind going array as he listens to San. In this moment, he would give San anything. He knows that if he asked him for something, he would immediately agree. His wolf eases, but has the underlying craving for more -- more of San, more of his breathtaking kisses, more of this moment.  
  
  


Seonghwa has been slowly realizing everything that he's been missing out on while conforming to his parent's wishes and his pack's rules.   
  
  


_This_ is what he could've had a year ago...?  
  
  


Seonghwa's worldview widens immensely as he allows himself to think about every single possibility that's opened up. He knows that he can't let all these precious moments with San go to waste while he's still able to be with him. He remembers what his mother said about her past friend and how she was torn away from her. Seonghwa knows that will inevitably happen to him as well, but until he and San find a way to change the future...  
  
  


Seonghwa wants to savor the time he has left with San.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**End of Chapter Twenty Eight**


	31. Chapter Twenty Nine

_Knock_

_Knock_

_Knock_

Seonghwa waits outside Areum's room that morning, waiting for the small, "Come in," that sounds muffled through the door.

Seonghwa slides the door open and steps inside, a faint smile on his lips, "How are you feeling, Areum?"

Areum looks up to see her younger brother and smiles widely as he sits in the chair by her bedside, "I've been waiting for you to come back to visit me, mister," she mocks, but drops the act quickly, "Hmm... I've been better, I keep feeling this tickling in my stomach, but the cough just won't come up," she sighs, "It's been hard to sleep with such an uncomfortable feeling, to be honest."

Seonghwa looks at her worriedly, "Let me get your medicine, sis."

"Sis?" Areum laughs, "Since when have you reverted back to your old ways, Hwa?"

Seonghwa shakes his head and gets out her medicine, handing her the pills, keeping his mouth shut this time.

"Ah, ah, ah- Don't go quiet on me now," Areum hums, swallowing her medicine, "And... Don't act like I didn't see that smile on your face when you came in this morning," she settles back against her bedframe and smiles softly, "It's nice to see you happy again, Seonghwa..."

Seonghwa unconsciously plays with his fingers, rubbing his index finger against the pad of his thumb, his eyes drifting out the window and towards the view of the boys' building both his and Areum's rooms have view of.

"Is there any reason you'd like to tell me?" She tries, wanting Seonghwa to at least open up a little bit to her, even though she's sure she knows the reasoning already, "Is it a certain someone?"

Seonghwa turns back to his sister and the gentle smile returns at the mention of someone in his life bringing the joy back into his. He nods.

"You know... It's okay to talk to me, Seonghwa. My lips are always sealed for you," Areum says, bringing her fist up to her mouth in anticipation for a cough that never comes. Her head starts to feel a little woozy, but she doesn't worry about it because it often feels like that after her medicine.

"I-I met someone," Seonghwa starts, mentally beating himself up about stuttering. His mind is filled with thoughts of San, thinking about the night before when they were lying under the stars together... Thinking about the way San's lips felt against his own, and the tingly warm feeling that still lingers on them.

Areum smiles wider, "Really? Tell me more! Are you going to bring them to the festival?" she pushes. She knew that her brother wasn't interested in Eunji, her... Best friend- that their parents had arranged him with. She looks down nervously at the thoughts of Eunji, seemingly having something on her mind as she brings her fingers up to touch her lips.

"H- They are one of the guests that mother and father brought here, and yes," Seonghwa catches himself before he revealed something treacherous about the certain someone that has staked claim on his heart and mind, not wanting his sister to be scared for him, or _of him._

"Is it Choi San?" Areum decides to go all in.

Seonghwa is left wordless as his sister utters San's full name, his heart filling with warmth. He looks away nervously, not wanting to confirm or deny his feelings for San to Areum.

"It's okay..." Areum says softly, his voice catching as she starts to cough.

Seonghwa's eyes widen, getting increasingly worried about his sister's coughing as it doesn't stop like it usually does. He stands up and leans over, seeing that she's coughing up blood on her hand, "Areum? Areum?" He says frantically, his calling drowned out by Areum's intense coughing.

Seonghwa's heart almost stops when the sound of coughing ceases and his sister's body limply falls back onto her bed. He gets up hurriedly and runs to his parents' room, unexpected tears trailing down his cheeks. This has never happened to Areum before.

~

"I heard that lessons are cancelled for today."

"Really, why?"

"The Park's daughter passed out this morning, she's getting really bad."

San overhears a conversation among the Chrysalis pack members and narrows his eyes. All of the pack members look full of sorrow as they speak about their pack leader's daughter, Areum.

Did something happen to Areum?

San goes back into the boys' building and looks around, finding Hongjoong and Jongho on the couch together talking.

"Did you guys hear anything about lessons being cancelled?" San asks, wondering if everyone was made aware while he was out for a morning run trying to diffuse the high of being with Seonghwa last night.

Hongjoong looks up at him first, "Yeah, Seonghwa's sister wasn't feeling well this morning."

"Gyungho seemed really concerned when he made the announcement this morning," Jongho pops in, his heart rate increasing as San sits across from them, in clear view of his and Hongjoong's clasped hands. He's thankful, however, when San says nothing about it.

San nods, taking it all in for a moment. He wonders how Seonghwa is doing, knowing how concerned he's been about his sister's condition. He looks up when he hears footsteps approaching them, seeing Yunho and Mingi coming to sit with them as San stands back up.

"I'm going to go check on Seonghwa," San says abruptly, coming back to the present with his thoughts, "I'll be right back," He hums, rushing out of the building and making his way towards Seonghwa's room.

Yunho looks over at Hongjoong and Jongho with a thoughtful look, "He heard about Areum, huh?"

The duo nod back at him and Yunho lays his head against Mingi's shoulder, "Min, I really need to do something about this..." He whispers, and Mingi rubs his mate's head, running his fingers through Yunho's soft locks.

"I know, love... Maybe we can talk to Seonghwa about it, okay?" Mingi says, planting a kiss on the top of Yunho's head.

~

San slides open the door to Seonghwa's room without knocking, and Seonghwa's head whips around, taking in a deep breath.

"You just have to come in unexpectedly, don't you, San?" Seonghwa says, a fabricated smile stitched onto his lips, that threatens to fall as soon as he put it up. His eyes are puffy and his face is sunken in from the tears he shed earlier, and he's scared that the tears are going to make a reappearance.

"Hwa..." San says softly, coming over to sit on his bed with him after closing the door back, "How is Areum doing? How are _you_ doing...?" He lifts his hand up to caress Seonghwa's cheek, seeing how he leans into his touch.

Seonghwa bites on his bottom lip, trying to withhold his tears, but as soon as San asks him how he is, he breaks down in his arms.

San hushes him, bringing him into his arms so he can hold him, "It's going to be okay, Hwa... It's all going to be okay, you don't have to talk about anything right now if you don't want to," San reassures, "We can go hang out with everyone to get your mind off of it, maybe?" San tries to make what he thinks would be a good suggestion.

Seonghwa sniffles and sits up, looking up into San's eyes with a nod. He's only just accepted San's affectionate self, and in moments like these, especially, he will never regret his decision to do so. San makes him feel warmth in the coldest of times in his life.

"Can we?" Seonghwa asks, taking a deep breath in an attempt to contain his tears. Maybe seeing his friends he's made will make him feel better and get his mind off of the sad possibilities that could befall his sister. His parents told him to try to keep a good head on his shoulders about the situation, but he knew that they were also torn up. Areum still hasn't woken up.

Later that morning, San leaves the room with Seonghwa and sees everyone in the center of the grounds, so the two boys make their way over to them all.

"Finally, you're back!" Jongho says, "I'll be right back, my ass," he teases and Hongjoong gives him a small shove on his shoulder and a narrow-eyed look telling him to behave.

Yunho comes up to Seonghwa instantly, his eyes full of worry for the boy, "How are you feeling, Seonghwa?" He asks, wanting to be a good friend, but the question once again causes Seonghwa to get choked up.

"Horrible," Seonghwa says bluntly.

San wants so badly to grasp onto his hand, but being out in public as they are now prevents him from doing so. He looks over at his fated mate, seeing him looking quite empty, and it breaks his heart.

"My sister, Areum, had a really bad coughing fit this morning and... She won't wake up," Seonghwa reveals in front of everyone, "She's been sick for a really long time, I'm sure you've heard..."

Yunho nods slowly at Seonghwa's sad situation, but he keeps hope as he squeezes Mingi's hand to let him know he has to do something. Mingi's squeeze back on his hand makes him feel like he has his support behind him.

"I could try to make something for her, Seonghwa," Yunho offers, "My pack is known for medicines."

"I know... When we had come last year, my parents tried to pick up some medicines from Essences, but none of them worked for her," Seonghwa says solemnly.

Mingi steps up, "Yunho is the most talented apothecary that Essence has, I'm sure that he will be able to help Areum, Seonghwa. I'm sure of it," He puts emphasis on his last sentence.

Seonghwa sighs, feeling his body gravitating towards San, but he stops himself, "We could try... My parents are willing to try anything at this point, and as am I. I would give anything to see my sister healthy and happy again..."

Kyelin steps up as well, "I can also attest to Yunho's skills in medicine. He managed to make something up that completely healed his father of a long term illness.

Seonghwa feels better with the more assurance he's receiving, but he still can't help but be nervous about the whole thing. So much is happening all at once it seems. With his sister's illness, Yunho's willingness to make her medicine, San's affection, and the festival happening tomorrow.

Yunho smiles heartily at Seonghwa, "Don't worry, Seonghwa. I will put my heart and soul into this medicine."

The whole sad vibe is interrupted by Wooyoung's cheerful self running towards them all. Yeosang's previously quiet self is brought to joy at the sight of Wooyoung.

"Guys! Guys! The festival is tomorrow!" Wooyoung cheers, happy to be over his heat and finally back with his friends. His heat lasted forever in his eyes, but as soon as it ended, he felt an immense feeling of happiness that's been absent from his life.

Yeosang smiles brightly and hugs Wooyoung, but doesn't say anything due to the unsure atmosphere around all of them.

"What's wrong?" Wooyoung says, looking around, seeing the less than joyous looks of Seonghwa, San, and Yunho, "Did I disturb something...?"

Seonghwa shakes his head, trying to stay worryless like Yunho said. Everything is going to work out, he hums to himself. He needs to try and enjoy the time he has with San and his friends while he's still able to, right?

"Not at all," Seonghwa says with a bit more life to his voice, "Maybe we could all meet up tomorrow morning to help set up?" He suggests, wanting to get more involved with his friends.

Wooyoung's eyes widen at Seonghwa's suggestion, "Yes!" He exclaims, happy to accept Seonghwa's offer. He's not sure if he's ever heard him say so many words to them all before, so he's going to take it while he still can.

Yeosang's heart feels full at seeing Wooyoung like this, giving him memories of how Wooyoung behaved before they were mated off. He's missed his Wooyoung so much.

Kyelin smiles and nods, "I'll get up extra early!"

Dongwoo chuckles, "Me too, is there anything that we should bring?"

"I could make a wreath of leaves and flowers to hang up," Hongjoong chimes in and Jongho bursts out laughing.

"What a loser," Jongho hums, but groans when Hongjoong elbows him in the side.

"Shut up, you know how to make them too," Hongjoong hisses and Jongho rolls his eyes, crossing his arms.

Wooyoung smiles and sighs, "Ah, I've missed you guys..."

San looks over at Seonghwa to see how he's doing and he doesn't miss the curve upwards of his lips.

Maybe everything will turn out alright, after all.

**End of Chapter Twenty Nine**


	32. Chapter Thirty

"Are you coming?"

San looks up and his heartbeat feels as if it comes to a halt for a second, seeing Seonghwa come into his vision. Seonghwa is dressed head to toe in ornate traditional robes of the Chrysalis, his hair adorned with colorful beads.

"I-" San stutters, at a loss for words when he sees how breathtaking Seonghwa is when dressed like this.

Seonghwa's lips curl into a subtle smirk, his cheeks getting rosy from the unwavering attention San's eyes are giving him, "Everything is all set up now," Seonghwa explains, coming closer to San, but not too close, "You're my... er-..."

"Date?" San finishes for him, finally calming himself down from Seonghwa's beauty.

Seonghwa's face heats up and he just nods and turns around, embarrassed. He starts walking off towards the decorated buildings and the groups of people bustling around the center of the grounds, knowing that San will follow after him.

San catches up with Seonghwa, walking side by side through the festival with him as they observe the various activities.

Seonghwa's eyes soften when he sees the pack children painting on large banners, noticing that Wooyoung and Yeosang are crouched by Seungsik and Namjoo. They're helping them open the paints and trying to get them to use the paintbrushes rather than their hands.

"You guys having fun?" San asks, a big smile on his face seeing the children having a good time.

Wooyoung looks up with a cheerful face, a nice and welcome change from how he was when Sunghee first left. Even the veins on his neck have subsided and aren't pulsating anymore, "So much fun! Isn't that right?" He asks Seungsik, who he's helping.

"I love the festival!" Seungsik cheers, looking up at San and Seonghwa giddily, showing the blues and purples of the paint he got on his face.

"Here, Sik," Wooyoung hums, handing Seungsik a wet wipe to clean himself up.

Seungsik takes the wipe and cleans himself, "Thank you, Woo~" He sing-songs.

"Yeoooo! Help me fill this sunflower in!" Namjoo whines, shoving the cup of paint into Yeosang's chest.

San chuckles at the children's antics and looks back at Seonghwa, seeing the admiration in his eyes as he watches them.

Seonghwa's eyes are suddenly taken away from them and to a frantic Eunji running around the grounds in her traditional robes as well, holding onto the small bamboo shaker that she will use to perform the dance she and Areum usually do together.

Eunji sees Seonghwa and her eyes widen, rushing up to him, "Seonghwa, could you please fill in for Areum? Please?" She begs, her eyebrows curved inward with worry.

Seonghwa takes a deep breath and glances over to San, who has a comforting smile on his face, offering a small nod to tell him to go with her.

"You know how much this dance means to her, Seonghwa," Eunji continues pleading, "Please?"

"I'll do it," Seonghwa says, thinking that she's right. Areum always has loved performing this special dance in front of their pack with her best friend, and if she can't do it this year, the least Seonghwa can do is stand in for her this time.

San lights up, "You two will do great!" He says, overflowing in joy, "I'll watch you, okay?" San whispers to Seonghwa after Eunji scurries off to prepare on the stage, "You'll be incredible, I just know it, Hwa," he encourages further.

Seonghwa blushes and smiles at San, "Maybe if I look at you the whole time, I won't be as nervous about ruining it."

"You could never ruin anything, Seonghwa... Now, go get 'em," San winks, and watches as Seonghwa hurries after Eunji to get ready. The dance performance must be happening pretty soon if Eunji was racing around like she was, so San starts making his way over towards the stage to stand in the already-formed crowd.

"I heard Seonghwa is taking place of Areum this year."

"It's so sweet how Seonghwa and Eunji are doing the dance together, don't you think?"

San listens to the arrays of conversation happening around him, hearing how a few of the pack members are gushing about Seonghwa and Eunji. He doesn't let it bother him though... Well, his wolf is a slightly different story, but he tames his inner alpha with ease. He knows that Seonghwa wants him from what he revealed to him the other night, so he has nothing to worry about.

San is willing to wait as long as it takes to be with Seonghwa, he doesn't care if it will take years. Just knowing that Seonghwa is trying and will one day be his is enough for San to be happy with where they are.

"We'd like to welcome our very own Han Eunji and Park Seonghwa to the stage for the annual dance to bless our pack grounds for the ok coming year."

Applause and cheerful shouts echo through the crowd when Eunji and Seonghwa emerge on the stage with their bamboo shakers and additional special ornaments decorating their hair. San notices how Seonghwa now has what looks like glittery tears on his cheeks, and he can only assume Eunji has the same, but he just can't take his eyes off of Seonghwa.

His inner wolf purrs at the sight and wants to take Seonghwa away and have him all to himself.

The soothing sound of woodwind and string instruments begin, and so do Seonghwa's movements. San is entranced by the way Seonghwa dances so elegantly on the stage, his hands turning the bamboo shakers in time with the music. His motions are slow, yet precise, as if he's studied this very dance all his life - and he may as well have. San could almost feel the dancer within Seonghwa, how the music coursed through his veins as he spun and how the appreciation for what he's doing really shined through.

In no time, the applause and cheers erupts again as the performance ends, taking San out of Seonghwa's electrifying trance he had put him in.d him in. Seonghwa begins to bow and San watches as he presses the bamboo shaker to his forehead, as if blessing it.

It's not long before Seonghwa is making his way back to San, finding him easily in the crowd.

"You were... wow..." San says, still amazed by the show he just witnessed, "I've never seen something so extraordinary, Seonghwa."

Seonghwa hides the smile that takes over his face as he lowers his head and holds out the bamboo shaker towards San. He doesn't say anything to him, but San knows to take it.

"Is this one of your pack's traditions?" San asks, curious of what he's now holding in his hands.

Seonghwa nods, "Keep that close to you, okay?" He says softly as they begin walking through the festival once more.

"Always," San smiles, walking with Seonghwa towards a large circle of people.

A lot of ruckus is coming from whoever is in the center of the circle, so San and Seonghwa ease their way through to spot Hongjoong and Jongho among the four that are standing there. There is another duo standing opposite them and one of the elders that sees over most of Chrysalis' sparring is talking to them.

"This will be partnered sparring, so that means you and your ally must work together in gaining power over your opponent. There will be no incidental injuries. No blood will be shed here, do you hear me?" The elder speaks with high authority and both parties nod in understanding of the rules.

Hongjoong and Jongho give each other a glance, a smirk hidden behind the cocky look in their eyes. They know how powerful each other are, so working together could go one of two ways. They either work like one another's other half, or they clash in dominance.

The elder tells them that they're allowed to shift, and they do.

Hongjoong and Jongho's wolf coats complement each other well, both being dark in color with shades of brown. Hongjoong's more auburn undertones mesh nicely alongside Jongho's light brown coloring.

"Finally you two made it!" Yunho says enthusiastically as soon as he sees San and Seonghwa enter the crowd.

San smiles brightly at the boy, finding his head nuzzled up against Mingi's arm, "You two missed Seonghwa's performance."

"Ah, they didn't miss much," Seonghwa dismisses shyly, his eyes lingering on the way Mingi holds onto Yunho so protectively and lovingly. It causes his wolf to inch himself closer to San, craving the same kind of affection.

"Don't be silly, Hwa," San smiles, turning to face him to see he's much closer than before and it warms his heart up.

Mingi chuckles under his breath, seeing the way the fated pair interact makes him wonder how he and Yunho managed to get together so easily when it seemed so difficult from an outside perspective. Their packs were soon to be at war, yet they were able to be together more freely than San and Seonghwa. He feels bad for the pairing, but he has faith they'll unite in the near future.

Mingi and Yunho have had many talks about San and Seonghwa, both boys having felt like they could sense eventual happiness for the two. Since they've been together, they've been able to predict various outcomes together. It's gotten so accurate, that it's become scary for them.

"Begin," The elder announces, allowing for Hongjoong and Jongho to finally face against the other duo.

"Where are Kyelin and Dongwoo?" San asks absentmindedly as he watches Jongho go for a head-on attack on the smaller of their opponents.

Mingi points over to a small group gathered behind the elder leading the sparring contest, "They'll be participating as well."

Yunho nods happily, "We've been hoping that they'll get to spar against Hongjoong and Jongho! Don't you think that would be an interesting fight?"

The others don't manage to get another word in before growling and loud thuds are coming from the sparring wolves. From what they can see, Hongjoong and Jongho are working together perfectly. It's as if they were made to be partners. They fit each other's fighting style to a tee, and that helped them quickly get the upper hand on their opponents, easily pinning them both to the ground.

"Hongjoong and Jongho win this round, they'll be moving on in the bracket," The elder says, writing their names in the dirt to face against whoever wins the next matchup.

Hongjoong and Jongho cheer immediately after they shift back, grabbing each other in for a tight hug from the joy.

They pull back from their hug with their faces just a little bit too close, but neither boy minds. They just smile and pull apart naturally, their hands lingering on one another's arms and down to their hands slightly as they go over to Dongwoo and Kyelin who were hyping each other up since they're next to spar.

"We're for sure going to win this one, right, Lin?" Dongwoo says, a confident smile on his face.

"You know it! We _have_ to, then we can show Hongjoong and Jongho who's boss," Kyelin smirks as the two aforementioned boys approach them.

"Already talking shit, I see," Jongho scoffs playfully.

"As if," Kyelin hums, looking off to see the elder coming to the middle of the circle again to announce the next duo and their opponents.

"Ha Dongwoo and Kim Kyelin, please enter the center of the circle," The elder calls out and throughout all of the applause, Yunho's shouts and giddiness reigns over them all as he cheers -- mostly for Kyelin, his best friend.

Kyelin giggles when she hears Yunho and she waves happily at him, "We're going to win, Yun!"

The elder brings their opponents out soon after the applause quiets down, only for it to pick back up. The fight begins, and both duos are seemingly neck and neck for a while, but eventually, Dongwoo and Kyelin do come out as the winners. This victory allows for them to move up in the bracket and make their next fight against Hongjoong and Jongho. That fight will determine which of them goes on into the semi-finals for the festival sparring contest.

Finally, the time came for Hongjoong and Jongho sparring against Dongwoo and Kyelin. They're already facing each other in the center of the circle in their wolf forms. Jongho subtly puts his paw over top of Hongjoong's and gives him a hopeful look, as if telling him that they're going to do great just as they had before.

" _We got this, Joong."_

_"Joong? How long has it been since you've called me that?"_

_"It's been a while, huh? Didn't you miss it?"_ Jongho's wolf winks over at Hongjoong before turning to once again face Dongwoo and Kyelin.

_"Humph,"_ Hongjoong huffs, keeping his affinity for the nickname quiet as he lowers himself down into a sparring stance.

_"Ah, wolf got your tongue? I know you like it,"_ Jongho's flirtatious voice echoes through Hongjoong's head and he shakes it away.

_"No distractions right now."_

With that, Jongho stopped, ending their discussion with a small pat of Hongjoong's paw to say they'll talk later that evening.

"Begin," The elder announced, letting the duos of friends start their attack on one another.

Dongwoo and Kyelin came in strong at the beginning of the fight, but one misstep and Hongjoong manages to get Kyelin on the ground. Kyelin bares her teeth at him and she snaps her jaws, more so to instill fear rather than to actually bite her friend.

Jongho lunged at Dongwoo who seemed to easily dodge his frontward attack, whipping around and aiming for Jongho's back legs. Dongwoo's tactics seem quite a bit more advanced than Kyelin's, or so they think...

Hongjoong gets distracted when he hears Jongho's internal gasp, which allows for Kyelin to make her move. She calculated this moment up until the very time it was for her to strike, rolling out from under Hongjoong with ease. This movement causes Hongjoong's footing to become shaken as his stance is disrupted, but he straightens himself out as he's soon cornered tail to tail with Jongho. They've found themselves surrounded by their surprisingly strong and tactful friend duo.

_"Don't let up. We have got this, no worries."_

_"As long as you're my partner, I'm confident."_

The two wolves retract the corners of their lips, making it look like they're smiling at their opponents as they both communicate when to attack. Hongjoong and Jongho's complementing fighting style really shines in this moment when they pounce at Dongwoo and Kyelin.

This time, Hongjoong side sweeps Kyelin and takes her down, making sure to not leave any room for her to get out like he did last time. He's always been good about learning from his mistakes and not underestimating his opponents. He keeps her pinned to the ground while Jongho works on doing the same to Dongwoo.

Jongho's agile footwork is his greatest strength against Dongwoo, so he uses it to his advantage and gets momentum over him. Dongwoo tries to do a similar move as to what he had done before, but it doesn't work this time. Jongho sees the identical pattern and cuts him off, finally pinning him on the ground as well.

"Hongjoong and Jongho win this round! That means they will be moving to the semi-finals," The elder announces and Hongjoong and Jongho nuzzle their muzzles into each other, ridden with joy at their victory.

After they shift back, Dongwoo and Kyelin congratulate them and tell them how good of a fight it was. Yunho ran over to Kyelin and hugged her tightly, telling her how awesome she was in action.

San and Seonghwa both look at each other with soft smiles before they go over to celebrate with their friends.

"Are you two...?" Yunho asks carefully towards Hongjoong and Jongho after having seen their more intimate exchanges.

Normally, the two would get a disgusted look on their faces at the thought, but they just shake their heads with a hint of a smile.

"So not yet?" Mingi teases and Yunho yanks on his arm, telling him to not play with them too much.

"Not yet," Hongjoong says, finalizing what they were all wondering. No one misses the sparkle of Jongho's eyes when he hears Hongjoong's words, so it warms all of their hearts to see the pair actually getting along and perhaps thinking about even more...

That evening, a large fire is roaring in the center of Chrysalis grounds with all of the pack members and guests surrounding it. The smell of the coals radiates through their noses as Gyungho and Hyejin stand up, willing all attention onto them.

"We're so glad to see everyone having a wonderful time at this year's festival. Seeing all of our members in traditional robes and accessories makes my heart full of pack pride," Gyungho booms, a big smile on his face as he speaks about his pack.

"We'd like to thank the gods and goddesses of the moon for everything we have and for our guests that came here to learn about Chrysalis. Our values and beliefs may not be widely accepted by all, but they're important to us. We hope that since you all have been here, you've learned more about Chrysalis and its people and that going forward, you will be more open-minded in your thinking," Hyejin stands right beside her husband, looking out at all of the people gathered around the bonfire.

"Now, let's feast," Gyungho chuckles and turns towards the dining hall to lead the pack to their long-awaited meal.

San and Seonghwa follow each other closely, San being in awe as soon as he enters the dining hall. It's decorated beautifully with colorful beadings hung on the wall and with the childrens' paintings decorating the, what otherwise would be, blank space. It sets the atmosphere just right as they all sit down together, San and Seonghwa choosing seats right next to each other.

The food is already prepared in front of them, and as soon as Gyungho and Hyejin say to begin, they do.

"This food is incredible, Hwa," San says, his mouth full of the delicious array of meats his plate consisted of.

Seonghwa smiles softly at San's stuffed mouth, "I'm glad you're having fun, San," he twirls his fork around on his plate, his mind preoccupied with his sister.

"You thinking about her?" San asks, and he's easily answered by Seonghwa's smile going sad with a nod, "We could bring her some of the festival food. Do you think that would be a good idea, Hwa?" San starts to make a small pile of food onto a plate and shows Seonghwa.

Seonghwa's eyes soften at San's idea, it warms his heart to see him care about his sister like this, "Yes."

San smiles, his dimples showing out as he carefully backs his chair up, holding the plate in his hands as he helps Seonghwa get up. Seonghwa doesn't miss when he sees the look his mother gives him as he stands there with San, but he looks away, defying her gaze.

San and Seonghwa leave the dining hall as quietly as they can, as to not disturb any of the guests or pack members, but Wooyoung sees them leaving together and giggles about it to Yeosang.

_Knock_

_Knock_

Seonghwa lets San knock on the door before they slide the bedroom door open to reveal a tired-looking Areum laying in her bed.

"Hwa?" She wonders, her voice coming out scratchy and low.

Seonghwa's heart clenches at the sickly sight of his sister, but he goes up to her bed with San, "I'm here."

San pats the top of the chair in front of Areum's bed, telling Seonghwa to take a seat with her as he stands behind him.

Areum smiles weakly when she turns her head to see not only her brother, but also the boy who barged into her room the other day. Choi San. She studies him for a moment before her eyes fall onto the plate that he's holding, "You two brought me some of the festival food?"

San nods and sets the plate down on her bedside table, "We thought you might like some."

Areum coughs when she tries to laugh, "You thought right."

Seonghwa flinches towards her when she starts coughing, the worried brother jumping out of him.

"Calm down, Seonghwa, I'm okay... Don't worry so much," Areum says, trying to brush off that she's obviously _not_ okay, but seeing her younger brother worry so much hurts.

"He's the one, isn't he?" Areum asks in a hushed tone towards Seonghwa, and Seonghwa's face turns red as he shifts his eyes away, "I thought so... He's quite handsome."

San chuckles, hearing the conversation, but he knows that Seonghwa must be embarrassed, so he changes the topic, "Seonghwa danced for you today, Miss Areum."

"Oh did he now?" Areum lays back on her pillow that's propped up on her bed and she shakily sets the plate on her lap so she can begin to eat.

Seonghwa nods, bringing his eyes back to his sister to see her eating, "Eunji looked lost without you, Areum."

Areum's face settles in happiness at the taste of the food and the thought of Eunji dancing, "I'm sure she danced beautifully. She's the one that helped me perfect that dance, you know."

San listens as Seonghwa and his sister talk, admiring their sweet sibling relationship. He wishes he had brothers and sisters to talk to like this, but he's always been content with the elders and children of his pack. Coming here to Chrysalis has been the first time San was able to make any friends his age, but his heart sinks at the thought of having to leave everyone soon.

San comes back from his mind drifting off, noticing that he's likely missed a lot of Seonghwa and Areum's conversation.

"Thank you for that, Seonghwa... I'm so proud to be your big sister," Areum smiles, water threatening to fall from her eyes.

Seonghwa nods once, "I'd do anything for you, sis."

San smiles at their ending sentiment for the night, knowing that this moment must be important for them. He's happy to see how Seonghwa opens up his emotions further, especially around his sister whom he cares an immense amount about. Watching Seonghwa let his walls down the past few weeks has been eye-opening for him, seeing how with just a little caring and love, someone can feel like they're able to show how they're really feeling instead of hiding it away.

"We'll come to see you soon, Areum," Seonghwa says, getting up from his seat and looking up at San, "Right?"

San smiles and nods, "Of course."

**End of Chapter Thirty**


	33. Chapter Thirty One

"Are Yeosang and Dongwoo okay?"

Kyelin looks up when she hears the question, as she's been wondering the same thing. She's been meaning to talk to Dongwoo about it after they didn't spend any time together at the festival and how he's been acting a bit differently. Kyelin also saw how his mating mark has faded, and it's made her think the worst has gone down between the two mates.

"I'm... not sure, but I think I'm going to go talk to him. He's still in the building, yeah?" Kyelin asks, looking towards the boys' building when Yunho nods at her.

Kyelin walks into the boys' building and sees Dongwoo sitting in the living area on the couch, all alone. She walks up behind him quietly and puts her hands over his eyes," Guess who?"

Dongwoo chuckles and removes Kyelin's hands, "Hm... I wonder who it could be? It's not like your voice gave you away," he turns his head around to see Kyelin, "What are you doing in here, Lin?"

"I just wanted to check up on you, silly. What's wrong with that?" Kyelin smiles, sitting down with him, "Are you feeling okay? I've been- Everyone's been a little worried about you lately..." She says softly, being careful of her wording. Her voice is full of concern for her friend, it hurts her heart to see Dongwoo being so distant physically and emotionally these days.

Dongwoo sighs, leaning his head back on the top of the couch to stare up at the ceiling, "I don't know, Lin... It's been really hard on me the past few days, and my wolf is feeling it too. I just want him to be happy, yeah? But it still hurts... I knew about Wooyoung for a while and Yeosang's feelings towards him, yet... I was still shocked. My mind is just very mixed up right now, I'm afraid," Dongwoo tries to sort through his feelings aloud, but he can't seem to get them straightened out. He's glad for their detachment not being excruciating as it was for Wooyoung, but he can only thank their mutuality for that. The mark dissipation causes him some discomfort and a spurt of pain as more parts of it vanish, but he could never begin to imagine how Wooyoung must've felt after Sunghee.

Dongwoo doesn't hold a grudge or harsh feelings towards Wooyoung, more so he feels a yearning. Not for Wooyoung himself, no of course not, but wanting what Wooyoung has — Yeosang's heart. It's going to be difficult for Dongwoo to get over Yeosang completely. After all, he had a crush on him since they were young and he had fallen in love with him quite quickly. That love he's had burning inside of him won't extinguish itself as easily as it was to light in the first place. The embers will stay hot for a long time after the flames die down, and afterwards, the ashes will still be there. He can only hope that there will be some sort of wind in his life to wisp them away eventually. Maybe then, he will be able to start anew.

"You can always talk to me about these kinds of things, Dongwoo. I'll be here for you, whether you want me to give you advice or even to just listen. That's what friends are for, right?" Kyelin says with a supporting smile and pat on his shoulder, "You're a strong person, so I know that you're going to get through this. I'll be there every step of the way if you'll let me."

Dongwoo takes Kyelin in for a hug that he very much needs at this moment, "Thank you, Kyelin. You're such a great friend... I'm so glad that we met here."

Kyelin's eyes widen as she's brought into Dongwoo's chest, but she carefully wraps her arms around him, letting herself fall into the warm hug. She can only ever really remember hugging Yunho and his father Kangmin like this, so it feels nice for her. Her family was always caught up in the pack, being travelling gatherers for Essence. She never thought ill of them for not being around much, she knew their work was important, but she can't help but wish she got to see them just a little more.

When she thinks of how she grew up, her first thoughts aren't about her parents, but about Yunho and his father. It wasn't difficult for anyone in the pack to understand why she wasn't with them since they knew what her parents did, but when she came here, she was asked about them and how they were doing with her gone. Honestly, she didn't know what to say other than that she wasn't really sure. It hurt to know that they probably didn't even know she left.

Kangmin was heartbroken when Kyelin told him the news that she would be leaving for a month. She expected this reaction since Yunho hasn't been home often, so she's been his only personal contact while he's been getting his strength back after recovering from his illness. She's always been like his second child, especially with how close her and Yunho always were. If the pack didn't know better, they would've thought they were siblings.

Kyelin and Dongwoo had talked a lot about her past, and it helped her feel better now that she talked about it with someone more neutral on the situation. It was nice to hear what he had to say, and it made them grow even closer as Dongwoo also opened up to her.

Kyelin was the first person Dongwoo went to after he and Yeosang unmated, and she comforted him through it all. Of course, she knew about their relationship and Dongwoo's worries he would sometimes get. It pained her to see those worries come true, but she has to admit that it's better for the long run. Dongwoo deserves nothing but happiness and to receive the same amount of effort that he puts into someone.

Not that Yeosang didn't meet those standards, he was just on a different path of life and when he finally realized, he ended it. Kyelin wished it could've gone a bit differently, but life doesn't always work out like that, does it?

All she can do now is help Dongwoo get through this hard point in his life and be by his side as a friend and confidant.

"I'll be forever grateful that we met here, Dongwoo. You won't forget about me after we leave this place, right?" She chuckles as they pull back from their hug and settle back onto the couch.

Dongwoo shakes his head with a teasing smile that Kyelin is happy to see again, "Who's to say I'd never visit you?"

Kyelin furrows her brow, "You'd really visit me? Ha, I'd love to see that. When Essence gets visitors, they always try to test their medicines on them. I'd like to see you try and get out alive," she winks.

"I think I'd be just fine," Dongwoo laughs, and the sound is music to Kyelin's ears, happy that she could bring him some happiness through the dark times.

~

Yeosang looks at Kyelin as she leaves the group to go talk to Dongwoo and he looks towards the ground, kicking around some pebbles in the dirt as his mind fogs up. His body would normally flinch at a sudden touch, but when he doesn't, he knows who just grabbed onto his hand.

Wooyoung.

Yeosang lifts his head up to see Wooyoung's bright smiling face and his heart skips a beat, his wolf purring at his contact with Wooyoung.

"Let's go talk, yeah?" Wooyoung asks, no worrisome tone behind his voice to cause Yeosang anxiety. He answers with a small nod.

~

That morning, Seonghwa meets the group of now only boys standing gathered in the center of the grounds with good news on his tongue.

"I talked to my parents last night," Seonghwa starts, catching the attention of both Yunho and San. They turn to him with cocked heads, as if asking him what they said, which he quickly responds with, "They said at this point, they'd try anything."

"Really?" Yunho's noticeably excited voice echoes, jumping up on his toes at the thought of Seonghwa's sister finally becoming healthy.

Seonghwa nods and has to keep his eyes on Yunho when he catches how hot his cheeks feel after looking at San for too long, "They were... Hesitant at first since we had tried Essence medicines when we went last year and they didn't help her, but I told them about how confident you were, Yunho. That's when they agreed to give it a try," Seonghwa explains.

Yunho smiles brightly at Seonghwa's words, "I had a feeling that they would agree!" He giggles excitedly, "That's why I already started on making the medicine last night, with the help of my love, here," he winks and nuzzles into Mingi's side.

Mingi chuckles and wraps his arm around his mate, "It's almost done, right?" He kisses the top of Yunho's head.

Yunho nods, "It should be done by this evening if I continue to work on it now."

"Is there anything else that you need to complete it?" San asks, wanting to help in any way he can for the sake of Seonghwa's sister.

"Yeah, we could go out and gather if you need," Hongjoong steps in, Jongho close behind him.

Yunho shakes his head, "No, no, I have everything back in our room," he insists, not wanting to alert anyone of his plan. Only Mingi knows of his powers, and he's going to try to keep it that way... But he has a feeling that Seonghwa will want to be there when he 'gives the medicine' to Areum, and with Seonghwa comes San as well. There's a good chance that the two of them will see his powers, but he and Mingi already discussed the possible outcomes.

As long as no one else is present, they believe everything will be fine. San and Seonghwa are trustworthy people, and friends to them, so they're confident they won't turn them in for his forbidden actions.

If only they were that lucky...

Later that day, Yunho runs to Seonghwa and San with Mingi not far behind him, trying to keep up with his enthusiastic mate.

"Yun, slow down or else you're going to trip and fall!" Mingi calls out, but he's already reached the two boys.

Yunho turns around to Mingi and playfully winks with his tongue out, "I'm not so clumsy!" He turns back to Seonghwa and San with two small bottles in his palms, "I've finished it."

Seonghwa looks down at the bottles to see a faint green-tinted liquid in one and a faded orange-looking salve in the other, "You're sure it will work?" To which Yunho returns a nod.

"Why are there two?" San asks, the curious side of him coming out.

Mingi finally catches up to them and puts his arm around Yunho's shoulder, almost like that's its homing pad where his arm will always return.

"One is for Areum to drink, while the other is for me to smear onto her forehead," Yunho explains, lifting up each bottle as he describes which is which.

Seonghwa's brow furrows at his explanation, "You're not allowed to touch my sister, Yunho. Did you pay attention when we were going over rules in our lessons?" Seonghwa asks, feeling even more uneasy with the whole situation now.

San interjects before Yunho can say anything, "But, Hwa, that may be the only way for the medicine to work. It won't be for long, right, Yunho?" He looks over at Yunho with hopeful eyes.

Yunho nods, "Only a few seconds, I promise," he reassures, but he honestly isn't sure how long it will take to heal her illness. To heal his father, it took a full minute, so his worries start to arise at Seonghwa's reaction to him.

Seonghwa nods slowly, looking at San to see his comforting smile and it warms his heart up to the idea just a bit. He bites his tongue and starts walking towards Areum's room, trying to keep his mind clear, "Let's hurry, now..."

All of them gather in Areum's room, and to put it bluntly, she's not looking well. She can hardly lift her head, much less move any of her limbs, and it breaks Seonghwa's heart to see her like that. One odd thing they noticed when they got there, however, was that Areum's door wasn't shut all the way, but those thoughts were lost when they saw her condition.

"Y-You're sure it will work?" Seonghwa's voice waivers as he speaks, walking to his sister's bedside with San within reach.

Yunho nods, "I'm positive, Seonghwa. Please trust me," he says, his voice noticeably having more worries in it than before as they're actually here now. Yunho looks to Mingi for comfort and finds it instantly in his eyes, knowing that he's telling him that it will be alright.

San can feel the fear and worry radiating off of Seonghwa, and it makes his heart ache, his wolf wanting to take him into his arms and tell him it's okay. San hopes that this movement won't make it worse, putting his hand gently onto Seonghwa's shoulder.

Seonghwa looks up at San with tear-filled eyes when he feels his touch absorb his emotions, his worries lessening as San touches him. He makes no movements to remove San's hand, actually leaning into the contact.

"Areum?" Yunho asks, making sure of her consciousness as she seems to be coming in and out.

Areum opens her eyes further, seeing blurry images of four boys around her, one leaning over to check on her. She makes a humming sound to show she's awake, but she wonders where the girl went that was here. It's gotten hard for her to recognize people after her blackout a few days ago, but she can still distinguish a few features.

She thought that the one who was just here was Eun-

"I've brought something to help you, Areum," Yunho explains softly, opening the bottles, "You can drink this, okay?"

Areum hums in agreement at the hazy words, drinking down whatever was in the bottle the man held to her lips. She looks to the other side of her bed to see the other two figures, one of them looking like her brother, but there's someone holding him.

It couldn't be, right...? She can almost hear the faint sound of crying coming from the pair -- specifically the one that looks like Seonghwa, and it pains her heart to hear.

"Now, I'm going to have to rub this onto your forehead, is that okay?" Yunho asks, knowing that the drink wouldn't do anything other than lessen any pain she's feeling. This is where he will be able to work his magic.

Areum hums again, rolling her head slowly back to the man she's not sure if she's met before. She feels his hand press against her forehead with some sort of warm cream and her heart feels electrified as her vision blurs with a shining light.

Yunho feels all of the magic in his body take over his fingertips as they're pressed to Areum's forehead, a soft glow appearing which he's afraid will alert Seonghwa and San of what is really happening. Mingi squeezes his shoulder, feeling Yunho's fear for his new friendships.

Seonghwa's eyes are the first to widen at the sight, his eyes trailing to Yunho who looks like he's concentrating hard.

What is happening...?

That glow is not from the salve he made, Seonghwa knows that for a fact, and his mind instantly thinks the worst. The worst that happens to be the truth.

Is Yunho...?

Seonghwa doesn't even notice the tears streaming down his cheeks until San brushes them away with his thumb, his cheeks tingling from San's touch. Seonghwa feels his breath catch as he looks at San, seeing a soothing smile on his face which calms Seonghwa down. He returns his gaze back to Yunho and Areum, and San slides his hand into Seonghwa's, trying to support him in any way he can, knowing that an extreme conflict is going on in his heart right now at what they're witnessing.

Mingi looks at San and Seonghwa, worry running through his veins, but he's set at ease when Seonghwa nods at him.

Yunho concentrates on his healing, and Areum's veins light up a dull golden color as she's put to sleep and the healing process begins. The process takes only two minutes, but those two minutes were vital. Mingi, San, and Seonghwa were all facing Areum, backs towards the door when it begins to slide open.

Yunho hears the faint noise, but doesn't lose his fixation on healing Areum.

Seonghwa looks behind him to see Eunji standing in the doorway, her eyes widened with horror as she realizes what Yunho is doing -- what Yunho is using.

_Forbidden magic_.

The words repeatedly run through her mind as she watches what is happening, taking in a deep gasp before she shuts the door and runs.

Seonghwa flinches to get up, alarm running through him, as well as San when he sees Eunji too. San keeps both of them seated and whispers soft reassurances to Seonghwa that they will sort everything out afterward.

Yunho eventually raises from Areum and falls back into Mingi's arms, being completely worn out from draining all of his magical abilities on healing Areum's illness.

"Sh-She'll be awake and healthy in the morning," Yunho says weakly, his eyes fluttering as Mingi picks him up bridal-style.

Seonghwa's eyes widen at Yunho's words and he nods, a thankful smile on his face, "Thank you, Yunho. Thank you so much," he profuses, wanting to give him as many thanks as he possibly can.

Mingi carries Yunho out of the room and back to their room in the boys' building, leaving San and Seonghwa in Areum's room.

Silence falls between them, both thinking of the same thing.

Did Eunji know what was happening?

Will she tell...?

San stands up and turns towards the door, "Let's go tell Gyungho and Hyejin that Yunho has given her the medicine, Hwa."

Seonghwa startles back to reality when he hears San's voice and he nods, going with them to walk to his parent's room to tell them. The conversation goes as smoothly as it can, the Park's announcing to the pack that Areum will have no more visitors for tonight and to have a restful night.

As San and Seonghwa walk together out of the great room where they found Gyungho and Hyejin, one thing is still resting at the forefront of their minds.

Will Eunji tell?

**End of Chapter Thirty One**


	34. Chapter Thirty Two

Nerves are high as the guests' stay in Chrysalis is closing in because Seonghwa knows that means his time with San is slowly but surely counting down. He knows that soon, he will be gone again, that the pain of not being with him will become insanely strong again. After how close they've become, Seonghwa isn't sure he will be able to take it this time...

No amount of suppressants could contain the desire he has of seeing and being with San. His upped doses made him feel numb to emotions in general, and he realized how bad that was for his body as well as mind.

He won't let himself be blinded by his own stupidity this time.

Seonghwa _will_ find a way to be with San.

That evening, an announcement rang throughout the entirety of pack Chrysalis, calling all members and guests outside to listen.

Gyungho's joy-filled voice could be heard everywhere, "We're thankful to the gods and goddesses to announce that our little girl, Park Areum, has recovered from her illness. To celebrate this miraculous moment, we invite everyone to a bonfire in the center of the grounds. We hope to see everyone there."

Seonghwa smiles softly at the news his father relayed, seeing San with his group of friends by the boys' building.

San looks to Seonghwa before he even walks up to them, sensing his fated mate's presence, "I love seeing your smile, Hwa," San says quietly as he reaches him, knowing that he heard his faint words.

Seonghwa's cheeks grow red, "You'll be seeing more of it, I'm sure," he teases, letting himself finally fully open up to the boy that's come to mean the world to him and more.

"Oh, get a room," Jongho scoffs with a smirk on his face.

Hongjoong shoves Jongho's shoulder as if to tell him to behave, and Jongho clicks his tongue, "Joong, you're lucky I don't throw you into that fire."

"I'd like to see you try," Hongjoong challenges with a mirrored smirk, and Yeosang and Wooyoung visibly roll their eyes at the pair.

"Here they go again," Yeosang hums.

Wooyoung lets out an exaggerated sigh, "They've been doing this _all_ day!"

Seonghwa looks at them with an amused smile, enjoying seeing the friends he's made this past month playing with one another as they always have. He's so thankful to have met them all, but he thinks he'll keep that part to himself... He might be more relaxed with San, but the others may take a bit more time. Seonghwa only hopes that he will actually _get_ that time. The time to spend with them after they all leave.

When he, too, hopes to leave...

They're all seated together around the bonfire, Areum having come to join them with the happiest smile Seonghwa's seen on her face in a long time.

"It's so amazing to finally meet all of you!" Areum cheers, her voice louder than it's been in months. The only difference Seonghwa could notice physically about Areum, would be the slightly golden hue to her otherwise dark brown eyes.

Yunho and Mingi coo at Areum's happiness, "We're glad to see you up and moving, right, love?" Mingi nuzzles his nose into Yunho's hair, giving him little kisses all over the top of his head.

"I'm just relieved my medicine worked for you," Yunho says, easing himself back into Mingi's chest to relax as the fire roars.

"I wish we could've met long ago!" Areum smiles, her eyes turning into half-moons to show just how lively and thankful she really is, "Thank you so much, Yunho. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"A-Areum...?"

Areum turns around from praising Yunho, to see Eunji standing there, illuminated in the night by the bright reds and oranges of the fire. Seonghwa and San also turn at the sound of Eunji's voice, having not seen her since last night, and it was worrying them.

Areum's eyes widen, and she stumbles as she stands up to face her, "Eunji! I'm all better now, didn't you hear?"

Eunji's eyes begin to fill with tears as she studies Areum up and down, seeing her standing right in front of her, fully healthy, and full of joy. Just as she remembered her being before falling ill.

Eunji lets her tears spill as she nods, overwhelmed by all of her emotions that are happening at once. She's been conflicted since the previous night, knowing exactly what she saw. Areum doesn't know... Seonghwa was there, she thought to herself. Would he tell? Should she?

"I-I... Y-Yes," Eunji sobs.

Areum gets closer to her best friend, "Hey," she says in a calm voice, "Look at me," she asks, and Eunji does. Areum shows her a big smile, showing off her pearly white teeth, "I'm all better now, so why the tears?"

Eunji chuckles through her crying, "I'm just s-so happy, Areum."

Areum smirks, "That's the answer I was looking for! Now, let's dry those tears and sit down by the fire, Eun."

Eunji nods at her and wipes her face with the backs of her hands before sitting down with everyone. She can't help herself from continuously glancing over at Yunho, having a war within her heart of what to do with the vital information she holds.

Eunji catches Seonghwa's gaze in her still slightly panicked state and she pauses, knowing that Seonghwa knows as well. Is he not going to do anything about this? Eunji sees Areum and Yunho talking happily out of the corner of her eye, and then looks back to Seonghwa. She feels a clenching in her chest when Seonghwa shakes his head subtly at her, as if he knows what she's thinking about.

Seonghwa has been having a great night with San and his friends so far with the addition of his sister, but he couldn't stop himself from noticing how much Eunji looks at Yunho. He knows she saw Yunho do... whatever he did to heal Areum. Seonghwa could only assume it was magic. It was the only thing that made sense, as funny as that sounds. Magic making sense. Yunho _is_ from Essence, Seonghwa remembers, and he knows from his countless studies that in the past there was magic within Essence.

Seonghwa never understood why the magic ban was such a big deal to everyone other than keeping other packs at bay from initiating war, but even that, he didn't get. War in general was something he didn't understand, but he always assumed it was his generally neutral upbringing. Seonghwa's parents always taught him, Dohyon, and Areum to look at things from an outside perspective and to always make their decisions after looking at the big picture.

Seonghwa hopes that through their lessons, Eunji would understand that Yunho was just wanting to help Areum even if it was through a forbidden method, but he can also see how and why she would alert his parents. Magic _is_ forbidden, and it's for a reason. Even if he might not understand that reason completely, it still stands, and not telling someone about it would be a breach of morality for some people.

Seonghwa just has to pray it doesn't go against Eunji's.

As the night is closing in, Yunho and Mingi head out with Dongwoo and Kyelin after feeling too tired to stay up any longer. Areum left the group to go sit with her family and Eunji, Eunji feeling nervous under Hyejin and Gyungho's eyes.

"No you go to bed first," Jongho shoves Hongjoong's shoulder with a teasing smirk still on his face.

"No you," Hongjoong replies back with retaliating push.

Yeosang and Wooyoung were getting fed up with Hongjoong and Jongho's constant flip flop between bickering and being flirty by this point, giving each other questioning eyes to which they both nod and stand up.

"We're going to go back to the building now," Yeosang says, cutting off Hongjoong and Jongho's weird argument of who was going to go to bed first.

Hongjoong and Jongho both look at Yeosang and then back to each other, "I guess we'll go to, eh?"

Wooyoung facepalms and starts walking off to the building with Yeosang, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, guys. I'll be up there soon," San calls out to them, wanting to savor his time with Seonghwa while he still can.

Seonghwa smiles up at San, the fire having calmed down by this point in the night, "Looks like everyone has gone to bed for the night," he says softly, letting his hand crawl over to San's to gently lay on top of it, craving the contact.

San's whole body eases when he feels Seonghwa's touch, intertwining their fingers and squeezing his hand, "It is getting a little late," He says as he looks up at the beautiful shining moon in the sky.

"Do you want to turn in?" Seonghwa asks as he sits up on his knees, willing San's eyes back to look into his own.

San smiles warmly and nods as he stares into Seonghwa's gorgeous brown eyes, admiring the way the always sparkle under the moonlight. Being here with him makes his heart do somersaults in his chest, giving his hand another soft squeeze as he thinks about the future. San doesn't want to leave Seonghwa here, but he has to trust him.

Seonghwa bites his lip from saying the words he wants to say to San as the two of them stand up together. He's been wanting to reveal his feelings to San for a while now, but he always works himself up and can't do it. That, or he gets interrupted. He knows how careful San has been around him ever since hearing all of Chrysalis' pack rules, and as sweet as he thinks it is, he wishes he wasn't so safe with his actions.

Seonghwa and San walk back together in a comfortable silence, close together so they're able to still hold hands and it be slightly concealed just in case. Seonghwa's heart skips a beat every time he feels San's thumb glide across the top of his hand, loving the way his insides flutter at San's safe touch. His wolf is purring, and he knows that San's wolf is too, feeling at peace in this moment with him. If he could, he would leave with San right now and run away with him, but he has a few things he must do first...

They arrived to the front of where Seonghwa goes in to go to his bedroom and turn towards each other with faint smiles that can only be seen when San sways to the left, letting the light shine onto them.

"Goodnight, beautiful," San says softly, letting his hand come up and gently caress Seonghwa's cheek, leaving a burning sensation behind when his hand falls back.

"G-Goodnight," Seonghwa stutters, his voice getting caught in his throat.

_Tell him._

Seonghwa's legs go wobbly as his mind fills with his wolf wanting him to tell San exactly how he's feeling, his words choked back as he watches San's back walk away further and further.

_Tell him._

Seonghwa's eyes widen as he's finally able to take a few steps in San's direction, his voice coming back to him, "W-Wait," he says, it coming out too quiet for San to hear, "San!" Seonghwa's voice rings out, and his body eases as soon as he sees San turn back around to face him with a tilted head. The anxiety in his chest rises up, seeing that they're not _too_ far apart from each other. He felt like a mile away in his mind, but he's really only a few meters.

"What's wr-" San starts, worrying about why Seonghwa called out to him like that, but he's cut off by words that completely change his world.

"I love you..."

San's eyes widen at Seonghwa's hushed confession, suddenly feeling how watery his eyes are as they stand there under the stars, staring as if they can see right through one another.

"Y-You... What?" San's voice comes out shaky as he starts walking back to Seonghwa, his walk turning quickly into a run as he clashes into Seonghwa, embracing him as tightly as he possibly can without causing him harm. Seonghwa squeezes him back, an unwavering smile carved into his face as shy giggles escape him.

"Say it again," San whispers into his ear.

Seonghwa looks up into San's eyes, both of their irises glassy from the tears, "I'm in love with you," he says, his lips staying parted after he confesses once again, which San smiles at.

"I love you, Seonghwa," San breathes, taking Seonghwa's lips into his own, expecting, but not surprised by the intense emotions and sensations that ignite within him as soon as their lips connect. San's fingers file their way through Seonghwa's hair, gently holding onto the back of his neck and rubbing his thumb in circles as their lips continue to glide and brush over each other's over and over, the silky smooth skin of Seonghwa's lips that San knows he will develop an addiction to.

And goddess, how he's going to dread going through the withdrawals, he knows that one day, Seonghwa is going to be his for the rest of his days, and he will be at peace. He will be able to rest easy once his sweet addiction is back in his arms, but while he's still here for now, he will cherish him.

San parts away from Seonghwa and their lips are instantly chilled by the cool night air, their eyes fluttering open to gaze at one another. Seonghwa carefully takes San's hand in his and leads him back to his bedroom, sliding the door shut behind them as they fall back onto his mattress full of feathers. Seonghwa lies back, allowing for San's hands to trail down his face and his arms, leaving goosebumps in their place as San moves his head down to kiss his neck. His wolf purrs loudly at the kiss on his neck, knowing that's where his mating mark will go when it's official.

They're tangled in Seonghwa's blankets and sheets as they touch each other, intimately or not, the mere touch from the other causes them to shiver. San eventually settles down into Seonghwa's bed further and pulls Seonghwa's body into his chest, the silence surrounding them as the only sound is the faint beating of their hearts. The thumping caused by the boy they both see laying in front of them, both admiring how warm each other's skin is under their fingertips.

San can't get over the soft skin that graces Seonghwa's beautiful face, making sure to study and memorize every square inch of the man he loves so much.

"Promise that you will find your way back to me..." San whispers, his voice full of need and a scared hint of hope.

Seonghwa presses his forehead to San's, his eyelids visibly getting heavier the later into the night it gets, "I promise you, San."

San smiles at Seonghwa's reassurance, his wolf getting set at ease. He rests back with Seonghwa, knowing how tired his fated mate must be after the long day they just had.

"Goodnight, my love."

The next morning, Seonghwa's bedroom door slowly slides open, causing Seonghwa to stir, never having been much of a deep sleeper. He doesn't lift his head at the noise, nor does he open his eyes, but he knows he heard a sound which makes him wary.

"Seonghwa, honey, it's time to wake up. Areum said you'd wake up early to go to lessons with her-" Hyejin says, but her voice stops when she sees two bodies in her son's bed.

An audible gasp is heard and Seonghwa opens his eyes, fear flooding his veins, but he's slightly calmed back when he feels San start to move. He must've woken from the talking, Seonghwa thinks.

Hyejin's heart shatters as she sees her son's face along with _that boy's_ , realizing that Seonghwa didn't heed her warning and distance himself before the two got too close... And _this_ is much too close. She knows that San's departure is inevitable, as well as Seonghwa's mating to Eunji, so she's so confused at what she's seeing.

"M-Mothe-" Seonghwa starts, his voice shaking as he sits up, his night robe slightly hanging off of his shoulder to show his milky skin.

Hyejin's eyes widen at her son's appearance, and her movements become a bit erratic as she rushes over and checks her baby's neck all over, "Y-You didn't mate him, did you?" Her voice is laced with venom as she speaks to San, her hands shaking.

San's heart is beating so fast at the situation they've found themselves in and tries to squeeze Seonghwa's hand, to no return. Seonghwa is frozen under his mother's unsteady gaze, seeing the tears welling up in her eyes.

"S-Seonghwa, what did you _do?_ Your father is going to be s-so disappointed... Oh goddess, what are we going to do..." Hyejin mumbles through her thoughts aloud, staring down at her hands to keep herself from seeing Seonghwa, "Get away from him..."

Seonghwa looks to San with fear in his eyes, not so much for himself, but for San. Seonghwa tears his hand away from San's and brings his knees up to his chest to hold his legs tightly, his whole body filled to the brim with fear, knowing that his mother must find him to be a disgrace to Chrysalis. So many rules have been broken.

"You're tainted," Hyejin murmurs, realizing that her son isn't pure as he should be for his future mating ceremony.

"He didn't do anything-" San tries to defend Seonghwa, but Hyejin looks up at him with tear-stained cheeks and gritted teeth.

"Leave to the center building _immediately,_ " Hyejin hisses and Seonghwa looks up with even more fear.

"Don't. M-Mother, don't do that," Seonghwa pleads, but he feels San slowly getting up from his bed, "San, don't go!" He cries out, knowing what they're going to do to him for breaking so many rules with him. He's going to receive a severe punishment... One that hasn't been served in ages.

"I'm sorry..." San whispers before he leaves the room, walking to the center building without lifting his head, not bothering to answer when any of his friends call out to him.

Two days pass and San is finally able to stand on his own, his body feeling wrecked after the intense pain he went through the day before. He could barely tend to his own wounds, the aching and stinging being too much for him every time he tried to wash himself. He shivers to himself when he remembers, still being able to feel the way the wooden paddle would slap across his bare back. The only thing that managed to get him through the pain was thoughts of Seonghwa.

Seonghwa...

San worries for his love, afraid of what happened to him after he was forced to leave him that morning. His mind would trail to more intrusive parts of his psyche and his anxiety would peak when he thought about how Seonghwa might've received the same punishment that he did.

The next few days as San would attend the closing lessons, Seonghwa wasn't there. He hadn't come to a single one. The weird part was, however, that Seonghwa's sister and brother were coming to lessons... and so were his parents, so where was Seonghwa? Where was his love? All of their friends were concerned, too, always asking San where Seonghwa was.

Finally getting too in his own head, he goes up to Areum after lessons.

"A-Areum?" San starts, his voice coming out shakier than he would've liked.

Areum startles at the familiar voice of San, turning to him with a guilty look on her face as she meets his eyes, to which she quickly looks elsewhere, "Yes, San?"

"Where is he...?" San asks straight out, "Please tell me he's okay, Areum."

Areum looks around and quickly motions her head to the side of one of the buildings, "Alright... Seonghwa is alright, don't worry," She says, making sure to rid San of his concerns as fast as possible, "He told me everything, San. I snuck out to see him last night, and he explained it all..."

"By everything, you mean?" San asks, wanting clarification of how much Seonghwa told her exactly.

"You're destined to be together," Areum smiles, "And I wish that for you two, I truly do, San, but-"

"But what?"

"I'm not sure yet... Seonghwa and I have a plan, I promise we do. He's not the only one that wants to be out of here, San. You and Seonghwa aren't the only ones that have to h-hide your feelings, you know?" Areum says, twiddling her fingers as she tip-toes over what she's trying to get at.

San nods knowingly. He had always thought something was going on by the way they would act, especially Eunji.

"I'm in love with her," Areum chuckles sadly, "So I know exactly how you two are feeling... And now that I finally have the means to do something about it," she goes on, referring to being fully healthy now, "I'm going to do everything in my power to do so, and to help Seonghwa, too."

San listens to her, taking in everything she has to say, but his mind can't help but to get distracted by thoughts of Seonghwa. He will fight for him if he has to. He would do anything.

"I just-" Areum sighs, pausing before she continues, "I don't know how long it's going to take, San... I still have to talk about all of this with Eunji and-"

San was afraid of that, afraid of hearing those words. He knew that Seonghwa said he would come back to him soon, but 'soon' has so many variables. There is no definitive time limit of 'soon', is there? There must be something he could do to possibly make the time away from Seonghwa shorter, to somehow change his and Areum's parents' minds.

It might be difficult, but San is already building his plan in his mind as Areum keeps talking, unknowing that San's mind is trailing off into the unknown as he files through the possible outcomes of what he's about to do.

He has to at least try...

He has to try to get Hyejin and Gyungho to understand.

**End of Chapter Thirty Two**


	35. Chapter Thirty Three

San got up early the next morning, his mind still focused on only one thing -- one person.

Seonghwa.

All he’s been thinking about after speaking with Areum were plans on confronting Gyungho and Hyejin in some form or fashion. San hopes that maybe if he sits down and is able to talk to them about his and Seonghwa’s situation, he will have a better chance of getting them to change their minds. Maybe if they knew that he and Seonghwa were fated mates, they would allow for them to be together, even if it meant bending the rules they, and this pack, seem to love so much.

There’s always a chance, right?

San gets in his own head the whole walk to see Gyungho and Hyejin, thinking and rethinking his words. Should he say this, should he not say that… The biggest thing he’s debating on whether or not to tell them is how deeply he is in love with their son.

It’s going to be okay no matter what, so there’s no real need to worry, right?

San’s wolf doesn’t help his worries, knowing that it will never be satisfied fully until Seonghwa is his for good with finality. Seonghwa said how he would come back to him, and even Areum said they were going to figure everything out. She just has to talk to--

San walks into the room, and finds someone is already there talking with the very people he went to go see.

Eunji turns her head, fear evident in her eyes when she sees San standing in the doorway.

San looks between Eunji and Seonghwa’s parents, seeing fear and confusion on all of their faces and San realizes that could only mean one thing.

Eunji just told them about Yunho possessing magic.

San faintly hears Gyungho saying something to Eunji as he goes closer, “Go sit over there, Eunji, we’ll… Talk more about this in a few moments, alright?” To which Eunji nods and slowly goes to sit down by one of the windows, her eyes still glancing back at San and then looking down in shame over what she’s done. She can only hope that San, nor the others, will hold it against her.

San reaches Gyungho and Hyejin and bows deeply before them, his back visible to the two of them as he does so, showing the slightly patchiness of deep red splotches.

“Stand up,” Gyungho says, trying to be neutral and calm after what Eunji had just told him and his wife about one of their guests.

San rises from the ground and looks between Gyungho and Hyejin, noticing how Seonghwa’s mother gives him a guilty look after seeing how badly hurt his back still is from the severe punishment he had received.

“Now, what are you doing here, Choi San?” Gyungho asks, his eyebrows more furrowed than normal, knowing that this was the boy found in bed with his betrothed son.

“I…” San starts, but pauses to keep his voice from shaking as he tries to focus on Gyungho, “I came to talk about Seonghwa, Sir,” San tries to be as formal as he can be in this situation.

“Not here. San, don’t start this here, please,” Hyejin pleads, trying to make San back down before he can begin.

“I have to try,” San says with more confidence in his voice, “I just ask for you two to give me a chance and listen to what I have to say, okay…?”

Gyungho and Hyejin both look at each other before turning back to San and nodding for him to continue.

“Seonghwa and I are fated mates,” San says blatantly, deciding he might as well come right out with it, “We… We found out last year when you all came to Eclipse for the first time, right when he stepped foot in the grounds and we made eye contact.”

San attempts to explain, hoping that Gyungho and Hyejin might understand the concept of fated mates, as much as they are rare.

San notices they’re trying to take in all this new information, Hyejin looking slightly less surprised than Gyungho which worries San. He finds himself looking around a bit, in hopes to see his love, but with no luck, he continues his explanations and pleas.

“I know that Seonghwa is… er- betrothed to Eunji, and that in Chrysalis’ rules we cannot be together, but… it could be dangerous for us to be away from each other,” San tries to convince them, his voice getting more wary the narrower her eyes become as he speaks. He can’t read her or what she could possibly be thinking, but he thinks he saw a hint of sadness behind her eyes.

“Please may I have your blessing…” San begs while he’s thinking carefully over his next words, faintly hearing the sound of the door sliding open.

Seonghwa opens the door to his parents’ room to see San standing there, his eyes instantly drawn to his love’s back, seeing blotchy blood stains all over. Seonghwa doesn’t notice as his eyes start to water at the sight, knowing how San’s back must be wrapped up from the severe punishment he received. Seonghwa is surprised to even see him standing after that, having heard past stories of people being bedridden for weeks afterward.

“W-What is going on?” Seonghwa’s voice shakes, but as soon as his voice reverberates through the room, San immediately turns around and they meet eyes. It feels like it’s been so long since they’ve last seen each other, the memories of that beautiful night they shared together surfacing back up -- as if it ever left either of their minds.

Seonghwa feels an unusual wave of anger come over him as he sees his parent’s faces behind San, knowing _they’re_ the reason why San is in such pain. _They’re_ the reason why Seonghwa has been hidden away the past few days, unable to even lay eyes on his love’s handsome face. They told Seonghwa it was for the best, but the aching in his heart and soul knew otherwise. He knew how false their words were before they even left his parent’s mouths.

Without San, Seonghwa would never be at his best. There would always be a piece of himself missing, leaving Seonghwa as a ghost of his own potential. San brought out the best in Seonghwa, and after letting down his walls for him, he wasn’t sure if he was ready to build them all back up again. It felt good to actually _feel_ something again and Seonghwa didn’t want to let go of that. He didn’t want to let go of San.

“What are you _doing?_ Seonghwa’s voice is laced with venom as he starts walking towards San and his parents, his words directed towards his parents. He’s never been angry towards his parents before, so the confusion on their faces isn’t a surprise. They would’ve never expected their son’s voice to ever come out that way.

Hyejin makes a motion towards Seonghwa, afraid for him to be around San, but she pauses when the door slides back open to reveal Areum.

“What’s with all the noi-” Areum starts, but she stops when she sees Eunji on the side of the room and Seonghwa and San standing in the center with her parents. She notices how San doesn’t turn towards her like Eunji and Seonghwa do, hearing his faint voice which surprises her.

“I’m in love with Seonghwa.”

Everyone turns to look at San when he says those words that leave the room with a deafening silence. Seonghwa already has heard them before, of course, but it doesn’t make hearing them again any less spine-chilling for him. It makes his hair stand on end as the butterflies fill his whole body. His heart pounds faster than ever before as he realizes that now his parents _and_ sister know about San’s feelings for him.

“I-Is that true…?” Hyejin asks San shakily, looking between him and her son. Gyungho carefully rubs the small of her back as he holds back showing his face of mixed expression. He doesn’t know what to think, but his wife seems to be emotionally affected by this situation. He, however, is getting frustrated because Seonghwa is always betrothed to Eunji. There is no going back and there is no breaking Chrysalis rules. They were implemented long ago for a reason, and he and his ancestors have always followed them without disturbance or any problems.

Hyejin took a step towards San with worried eyes, water visibly filling in them, “Is it?”

San clenches his fists and nods curtly, “Yes, I am in love with Park Seonghwa.”

Hyejin feels as if her eyes glaze over and the words go soundless through her ears, remembering the time all those years ago with her first love back in Nightshade.

Those were the very words she longed to hear from her -- from Youngmi.

She never had enough time back then to even get to tell her what her own feelings were, and it’s been something she’s regretted for so many years. Hyejin wasn’t able to tell Youngmi how much she loved her and how she would always love her. Albeit, she was just a young girl back then, both of them were, but even now, Hyejin knows what it was she felt back then for the girl she met in Nightshade.

Standing here now with her son’s _fated mate_ telling her and her family that he’s in love with their son, she doesn’t know what to think, let alone feel. All that she could describe it as would be bittersweet.

Hyejin is about to tell San to leave when Eunji’s sobs turn audible and Areum immediately rushes over to her.

“What’s wrong, Eun?” Areum asks, worried for her best friend crying so hard.

“I-I… I messed up,” Eunji mutters, not daring to lift her face up to show everyone the immense guilt ridden on it, “I did the w-wrong thing,” she weeps, falling to her knees, to which Areum crouches down quickly after her, “I told them, I told them everything…”

Areum tilts her head in confusion, “What did you tell them? Who did you tell?”

“Your parents… About-“ she sniffles and rubs her tears away as she looks up at Areum in shame, “About Yunho’s magic.”

San and Seonghwa both widen their eyes at her confession, having had suspicions that she was going to tell, but weren't sure if she’d actually go through with it.

She did.

Suddenly, they all turn towards Hyejin and Gyungho and see as they both sigh. The few people standing in the room now are aware that Hyejin and Gyungho hold the power to start a war with the news of Yunho being leaked, but that’s the last thing they want. Their goal is to _stop_ wars, not start them. They watch as Gyungho pinches the skin between his eyebrows with his thumb and index finger, seemingly in stress, but he composes himself quickly.

“We must think.”

His words are met with silence as they all look at each other.

“Leave. Everyone go back to your rooms. That includes you, Areum,” Gyungho says, making sure to lay his eyes on each of them… Except Seonghwa.

San gives Seonghwa a hope-filled look and a small smile to let him know everything will be okay one day and they start walking out with Areum and Eunji, until a hand is placed onto Seonghwa’s shoulder. He flinches at the contact, having gotten so used to San’s touch and only San’s touch, that his own family’s touch feels foreign to him.

“Not you.”

Seonghwa’s eyes widen, his body stiffening up as he stands there unmoving, staring into San’s eyes as he walks away -- not without a fight first, but his attempt only resulted in Hyejin yelling at him to get out.

San takes in as much of Seonghwa’s eye contact as he can before the door to Hyejin and Gyungho’s room slides shut, the last thing he sees is the small tear that runs down Seonghwa’s cheek.

All he could do was try for the both of them. Now the ball lies in Seonghwa’s court and San has to put all of his trust into his fated mate’s words that tell him he’ll come back to him.

San smiles to himself, no worries residing in him any longer.

He knows that Seonghwa will come for him.

**End of Chapter Thirty Three**


	36. Chapter Thirty Four

The day before all of the guests go back to their own packs has come, and San once again hasn't seen Seonghwa. No matter how many times he tries to knock on his door at night to be met with silence. He would peek in a few times to check on him, but he was never even in his bed.

Now, he's on his way to the farewell gathering that was announced for all the guests of Chrysalis.

Every step he took felt like another crack in his heart. He just wanted to _see_ his love. One glimpse would be all he'd need to make it through the undetermined time he will be going without him, or so he'd tell himself. His wolf would cry every night as he lay in bed without his fated mate.

He has to keep a cheerful face for this gathering though, he tells himself as he enters to see a group of his friends congregated together chatting happily.

"San, you're finally here!" Wooyoung cheers from under Yeosang's arm, snuggling further into him, "Sangie was just wondering where you were."

Yeosang nods, unable to hide his glancing towards the left of the grounds. San follows Yeosang's eyes as he speaks, "I've just been going a little slow recently, sorry gu-" He pauses when he sees Seonghwa standing with his parents, happiness filling his body from seeing him.

"He's... Been over there with them for a while," Yeosang says with a sad look on his face as he speaks to San.

Jongho scoffs and crosses his arms, "He didn't even come to say 'hello' when he got here."

Hongjoong narrows his eyes at Jongho, "Hush, you know what's going on, Jongho."

"It doesn't make it any less rude," he huffs.

"It's okay," San sighs, resting his back against one of the pillars as he gazes over at the beauty that is Seonghwa, admiring the way his lips move as he speaks to his parents. Ah, his lips... San's cheeks redden as he remembers the way they felt on his own and he looks away, knowing his eyes must be the same color as his cheeks, "He couldn't come over here to us, his parents won't let us be around each other it seems."

"I mean, you two _were_ found in bed together. Were you not?" Jongho asks and his shoulder is met by Hongjoong's fist once again. He's lucky that it's never been dislocated with the amount of strength Hongjoong possesses.

"Jongho, enough."

Jongho smirks and pushes the alpha back, recently finding their play-fighting to be more of finding a reason to touch each other than actual hostility.

"Look at his red face though," Jongho chuckles as he makes fun of San's blush, "Why don't you try to go get him again?" He teases, "Wait, that went well, didn't it?"

Hongjoong's eyes widen, knowing Jongho's words might've gone too far with joking this time and he pulls him aside, away from the group.

"What the _fuck?_ Jongho, you can't just do that," Hongjoong seethes, grabbing hold of both of his shoulders as they're in one of the small passageways between buildings, "Get your damn act together, won't you?" He bares his teeth at him.

Jongho finds himself turning red at Hongjoong's aggression towards him, his hair standing on end from his words and touch, "I didn't mean for it to come out like that," he says genuinely, licking his lips, trying to keep his eyes away from Hongjoong's.

"I know you didn't," Hongjoong shakes his head and looks down, his grip loosening on Jongho's shoulders, "Just... Be careful with how you word things, okay? Not everyone can interpret exactly what you're trying to say all the time."

"You can."

Hongjoong looks up to Jongho's face, seeing him already looking back into his eyes, loving the chocolate brown color of his irises. It reminds him of his just as chocolatey fur coat and he nervously drops his hands from Jongho, only for Jongho to lift his hands up to Hongjoong's face.

Jongho cups Hongjoong's cheeks, stroking his heated cheeks with his thumbs as he slowly connects their lips. He tastes just how he smells and it's intoxicating for Jongho. Ginger has always been his favorite scent for a reason, and this is it.

Hongjoong allows himself to be backed up against the other wall behind him, his back pressed firmly against it while Jongho's chest is rubbing up on his own. Their lips fit perfectly just as they did that night one year ago, and a few nights ago. He's starting to think Jongho's lips are turning into something he doesn't want to live without.

Hongjoong melts back as he feels Jongho pressing into him harder, letting his hands invade his hair and pull on it to bring him as close as humanly possible. Their kiss turns sloppier and sloppier until they finally part in loud gasps, looking up into one another's eyes with a longing passion.

"L-Let's go out for a walk tonight, hm?" Hongjoong asks, his voice a bit raspy from the lack of oxygen he was receiving.

Jongho smiles and winks before he turns back to go out to the gathering with everyone, "I think we should."

San was surprised when those words came out of Jongho's mouth, but when Hongjoong drags him away in anger, he assumes that what he said he didn't really mean. That doesn't mean they don't pierce San right in the heart, though because he's right. It _didn't_ go well when he tried to talk to Hyejin and Gyungho. Not only was he trying to confess his love for their son, but Eunji had come earlier and told them about Yunho's magic.

Perfect timing.

San sighs, remembering his confession in front of everyone. As if they weren't already stressed about what to do with Yunho's secret and Eunji's guilty conscience.

Speaking of... Where is Eunji? San looks around, only to see her in a group with Areum smiling. You can almost see the guilt-ridden look hidden behind it.

After seeing that, his eyes can't help but linger back to Seonghwa. He's still talking to his parents, and at first he looks frustrated, but then he gets this shocked expression on his face. San's heart leaps as Seonghwa's mouth hangs open and he can see the stars shining in his eyes from here.

What made him so happy?

San's whole body warms up as he can't tear his gaze away from Seonghwa's smile. He doesn't expect Seonghwa to start walking in his direction and he feels his heartbeat pumping even faster.

He's coming...

He's coming!

San feels his hopes climb higher than they've ever been, and they don't get torn back down. Quite the opposite. Seonghwa walks straight up to San, his wolf instantly purring in the presence of him.

"We get to spend the last day together," Seonghwa says, and San thinks he hears him wrong at first from his senses being blinded by Seonghwa's incredible scent and breathtaking beauty he never seems to get used to.

Seonghwa smiles softly as he looks up into San's eyes, "I-I'll be back in my room tonight..." He whispers, just audibly enough for San to hear.

San's cheeks grow with a light blush, a smile settling on his face as his wolf's excitement goes through the roof, "And I'll be there too..."

"Ugh, Hongjoong, watch where you're going!" Jongho huffs after running into Hongjoong's back on their mid-night hike.

Hongjoong looks back and smirks, "Hush, we're here," he hums as he steps back to show Jongho the small clearing on the cliff they had eaten at back when they all went on that group hike together.

Jongho chuckles when he realizes where they are, "Ah, so we finally get to be alone here this time?"

"I was hoping for that, yes," Hongjoong reveals, sitting down on the edge, the moonlight shining onto him now that he's not hidden by the trees.

Jongho's wolf roars within him as he sees Hongjoong's face illuminated, feeling the way his lips tingle with memories of their past encounters.

Will tonight be similar?

Hongjoong pats the spot next to him, "Come here, I want to see your face, Jongho."

Jongho's never been one for cheesiness, but Hongjoong telling him that he wants to see him makes his heart turnover in his chest. He quickly sits down next to Hongjoong and eases himself into his side, laying his head comfortably on his shoulder as he looks out at the familiar scenery.

Hongjoong looks down at the boy lying against him, snaking his arm around his body to bring Jongho into him. Being alone here with him makes Hongjoong unusually emotional. He gives Jongho's head a gentle kiss, inhaling the cinnamon that radiates off of him.

Jongho laughs nervously, "Don't go soft on me now, Joong..."

Jongho looks up at Hongjoong when he doesn't reply and finds him staring back at him already, their eyes immediately meeting. One flicker of Hongjoong's eyes down to Jongho's lips is all Jongho needs to attack. He slips one of his legs over Hongjoong's lap, resting on him as he takes Hongjoong's lips into his own, letting his fingers trail his body.

Hongjoong gasps before their lips meet, smirking into the kiss as Jongho climbs on top of him. Their open mouths collide hungrily and Hongjoong lays back in the grass as things get more heated between them. Their scents of cinnamon and ginger surround the air encompassing them as Hongjoong's hands explore down Jongho's back and then up the sides of his body, letting his shirt lift slightly as he trails upward.

Hongjoong can feel his alpha wolf wanting to take over, and with this, he can feel Jongho's alpha as well. The dominance circling between them is overwhelming, both fighting each other with their aggressive kisses and fervent touches. Their nails gently scratch one another's skin as they can't get enough of the way it feels under their touch.

Their kiss breaks with heavy breathing and panting, their breath visible in the cool air. Jongho looks down at Hongjoong with hooded eyes that are crimson red, bearing his sharp teeth at him.

Hongjoong smirks, knowing his eye must look just like Jongho's right now, "I'm _far_ from soft, Jongho," he says breathlessly, and that's all Jongho needs to devour his lips once more.

The sounds of ripping clothing echoes through the forest as they tear each other apart, needing to have that skin-to-skin contact as soon as possible. Jongho is an unstoppable force as he licks and sucks on Hongjoong's neck, plotting where he will put his mark on his soon to be mate.

Hongjoong moans loudly as he feels Jongho's taunting lips teasing every inch of him, "F-Fuck," he breathes out, arching his back as he feels Jongho's hand firmly grip his length, still bruising up his once clean neck.

Jongho growls at Hongjoong's voice, the sound sends chills down his spine and makes him want even more of the boy under him. He pumps Hongjoong's considerable length as he reconnects their lips, biting on his lower lip when he feels Hongjoong scratch down his back roughly.

"I'm going to make you mine," Jongho whispers and nibbles on Hongjoong's earlobe, freeing his member only to invade his hole with one of his fingers.

"A-And I'm going to make you mine," Hongjoong smiles up at Jongho with a dazed look of bliss in his eyes as he carefully strokes Jongho's cheek, despite his wolf's wanting to be rough. He tries to keep his wolf as calm as he can, knowing that they would both be bruised up messes if he or Jongho were to let their wolves take over completely.

Two alphas together as they are has the potential to be lethal, and they both know it.

Jongho smiles warmly at Hongjoong's clear face of happiness, realizing in this moment that this is what he will get to see every day for the rest of his life. His ginger scent will surely be the death of him if his handsome face doesn't take him out first.

"I love you," Jongho whispers as he slowly pushes his member into Hongjoong, feeling him tensing up around him and he winces when Hongjoong's nails dig deep into his skin.

Hongjoong gasps out airy moans as Jongho enters him, suddenly a bit fearful of how Jongho's knot will feel in him when they're connected, but hearing Jongho's words make all his fear disappear.

"I-I love you, Jongho," Hongjoong breathes out, unable to help the destruction that he's doing to Jongho's back as he continues to push in and out of him.

Jongho uses all the strength in his body not to go so hard on Hongjoong at first, his wolf wanting him to unleash his power, but Jongho knows better. He's gained control over himself and his wolf. He wants to do his best to be gentle for a little while.

Hongjoong soon gets comfortable with the feeling of Jongho and his body is able to relax back into the grass, becoming a moaning mess as he's finally able to enjoy his and Jongho's love making.

"Fuck, J-Jongho... You can go harder, I'm okay now," Hongjoong moans out, biting his lips towards the end to try and keep his voice down, knowing they're surely frightening all of the wildlife in the forest.

As soon as Hongjoong's words grace Jongho's ears, his wolf's anticipation is met and he jerks his hips roughly into Hongjoong, causing him to pant and scream his name. Hongjoong tries to scratch at something other than Jongho's back, so he grips into the ground the best he can, his body being pushed harder and harder into the cold ground. His wolf is in true bliss, loving the way Jongho pounds into him.

What Jongho doesn't expect as his sweet release gets closer is for Hongjoong to aggressively flip them over so that he's straddling him from the top. He rides Jongho fast and hard, letting the echoes of their skin slapping ferociously together disrupt the forest. Jongho grips Hongjoong's jaw and pulls him in for another steamy kiss, knowing that they're both nearing their climax by now.

Jongho grunts into their kiss as Hongjoong takes the entirety of his length so well and hard just as he likes it. He and Hongjoong mesh so well when they're not bickering, he's noticed. Jongho smirks into Hongjoong's lips when he gets the idea of letting their anger out for each other through sex and he pumps his hips up into Hongjoong, meeting him every time he pushes himself down. It might help direct their aggression into something other than literally tearing each other apart in the sparring room.

Hongjoong parts from their kiss as he quickens his speed, needy and worn out moans escaping his lips as he looks down into Jongho's eyes, taking in every bit of him.

Jongho grips onto Hongjoong's hips tightly as they both reach their release in loud groans, nuzzling into each other's necks with intent.

Hongjoong licks the spot on Jongho's neck breathlessly as he comes down from his high and he sinks his teeth in deep, letting the intense connection course through him. It gets even stronger when he feels Jongho's teeth break his skin as well, feeling the way his blood trickles down his neck as they let their minds and souls bond together fully.

Jongho's knot has completely formed within Hongjoong as they pull back from each other's necks, making sure to lick them closed. The taste of Hongjoong's blood on his tongue is euphoric and he wraps his arms around Hongjoong as he lets his body fall flesh against his chest.

" _We may not be fated by the moon goddess, but goddess be damned, I know my soulmate, Hongjoong."_

Hongjoong looks up into Jongho's eyes with a glazed over expression of pure love and admiration, " _How about you say those words when we get back home,"_ he smirks, loving the way their mindlink has changed.

Instead of their normal pack mindlink, they now have their mated one. It feels much more intensified now that they can feel the other's emotions behind the words they say.

" _I'd scream it from the mountaintop,"_ Jongho pulls Hongjoong into a tight-squeezed hug, " _I have one question for you though, Joong."_

_"Anything."_

_"Does this make us both eligible for head alpha?"_

**End of Chapter Thirty Four**


	37. Chapter Thirty Five

San smiles to himself as he softly knocks on Seonghwa's door later that night after he just left his friends in the living area of their building. They didn't ask him where he was going, nor when he would be back. They _knew_ where he was going and they were more worried about comforting Yunho after Seonghwa revealed to him earlier that night about his parent's knowledge.   
  
  


Seonghwa had tried to explain that it's going to be okay since they won't tell anyone about it, especially since he helped Areum through her illness. Yunho is the reason that their daughter is no longer in pain, and Seonghwa knows that they owe him the kindness of keeping their mouths shut.  
  
  


The prospect of the shocking news getting around to other packs is another factor that goes into Hyejin and Gyungho not wanting to say anything. They want peace, and magic is _not_ something that will align nicely with those wishes. All magic does is cause war, but seeing as no one is aware, they trust that Yunho and Mingi both will be safe.  
  
  


The door to Seonghwa's room slowly slides open, revealing Seonghwa in his loose-fitting night robe, his sleepy eyes connecting with San's in an ecstasy-filled gaze.  
  
  


"My love..." San's lips part as he studies Seonghwa's jaw-dropping beauty, his eyes trailing from the disheveled way his hair is falling down over his eyes to his lips made of pure velvet.  
  
  


Seonghwa's body heats up as soon as he hears San's voice, his wolf purring under his touch when he carefully caresses his cheek. He falls into the touch, wanting to feel more of San's skin on his own, looking up at him through his lashes, "Tonight won't be a goodbye, San," Seonghwa makes sure that San knows, he will come to him.  
  
  


San lets out a subtle chuckle as they back themselves into Seonghwa's room so they can slide the door shut from the cold, "It better not be," He smiles, but to Seonghwa it looks more like a smirk. The look sends shivers throughout his body, suddenly becoming more aware of how relaxing his rose scent is. The smell invades his nose as he sits back on his bed, letting San stand between his legs so he can continue to caress his face.  
  
  


"How'd you manage this?" San asks, having been curious about his answer all evening.  
  
  


"Hmm...?" Seonghwa hums back, fluttering his eyes under San's touch.  
  
  


"Spending my last day here together," He whispers, letting his thumb move over Seonghwa's bottom lip, gently pulling it down until it pops back up.  
  
  


Seonghwa wraps his arms around San and brings him down onto the bed with him so their arms can entangle one another, "I've been begging and begging to see you just one last time before you have to go back to Eclipse..." His breath is hot against San's chest, "Th-They allowed me this day," He smiles up at him, but San can tell he's trying to mask his sadness.  
  
  


San nuzzles his nose to Seonghwa's before giving him a tender kiss on the lips, "And I will cherish it."  
  
  


"They demanded that I'm not to come back with a mating mark on my neck," Seonghwa says hesitantly, "They still are adamant about Eunji and I's mating ceremony."  
  
  


San moves down and places a light kiss on Seonghwa's neck, "I won't mark you... As much as I want for you to be mine," he comes back up so he can press his forehead to Seonghwa's, "That will have to come at a later time, I'm afraid, but... It will come," San hums, "I trust in you, my love."  
  
  


"Areum and I have a plan, but I don't know if she's spoken to Eunji about it yet," Seonghwa sighs, "Please don't worry, I promise that I will find a way," His eyes water as he looks back into San's eyes, knowing that he's looking into the eyes of the love of his life. His fated mate.  
  
  


"I will wait as long as it takes, remember?" San smiles, thumbing away the small tears that fall down his love's face.  
  
  


Seonghwa just nods, quiet whimpers escaping him. He eases into San's arms as he hushes him, taking in his lavender scent combined with San's rose always alleviates any stress that Seonghwa could be feeling.  
  
  


"Quiet down, darling, it's all okay," San peppers kisses all over Seonghwa's face, "I'm here."  
  
  


"I just... I-I want to be with you already..."  
  
  


"You're with me right now, aren't you?" San lands his last kiss onto Seonghwa's lips, lingering there for a moment before he pulls away, "Let's have a wonderful night together, Hwa... Don't think about the bad things, okay?" San captures Seonghwa's eyes, showing him a big smile, his dimples visible.  
  
  


Seonghwa giggles and nods, wiping his wet eyes before he pokes his finger into one of San's dimples, "O-Okay," He says, a smile spreading across his face as he lies back and admires San, "You're so handsome..."  
  
  


San smirks, "I remember when you wouldn't speak to me hardly at all, let alone complimenting me," he eases back into the bed as well and holds onto Seonghwa's hand tightly, "I'm glad you opened up, Hwa. Happiness looks good on you," he teases, allowing his free hand to rub up and down Seonghwa's side.  
  
  


"I can't help but be happy around you, Sannie. You bring out the best in me," Seonghwa says shyly, having his childish side come out with the nickname he's given San.  
  
  


"And you also bring out the best in me, my love," San softly brushes his lips against Seonghwa's, their chests pressing together as the air surrounding them gets thicker and heavier with their scents.  
  
  


Seonghwa finds it in him to grab onto San's clothing and pulls him on top of him, wanting to feel him as close as he can possibly be in this moment. His white night robe loosens the slightest bit in the front, freeing some of Seonghwa's chest to the air.   
  
  


San's hands roam Seonghwa's chest and warm the cool skin that's been exposed by massaging him, causing Seonghwa to let out quiet gasps between breaths that has San's wolf roaring within him. He doesn't miss the shift in Seonghwa's eye color to gold when he goes to kiss down his neck and chest.  
  
  


"S-San," Seonghwa gasps, his breathy voice dripping in enticement as he watches San untie the rest of his night robe, letting it pool back onto the bed when he spreads it open to lay Seonghwa bare beneath him.  
  
  


San's irises fill with red as he looks over Seonghwa's milky skin. Perfection, he thinks.  
  
  


Absolute perfection...  
  
  


There's not a single mark on Seonghwa's skin anywhere in sight, and the flawlessness of it makes San smile. He's so much different, he thinks, knowing that when Seonghwa also undresses him, he will see his roughed up edges and scarred back.   
  
  


Seonghwa's pure and youthful skin is refreshing for San, and he's going to keep it as such. He will make sure that nothing will cause any harm to his love, nothing will blemish his beautiful fated mate beneath him.  
  
  


"Yes, my love?" San finally snaps his eyes away from Seonghwa' breathtaking body and looks back up into his eyes.  
  
  


"D-Don't look so much..." Seonghwa answers shyly.  
  
  


San gently rubs his calloused hands up and down Seonghwa's bare skin, "How couldn't I? You're absolutely heart-stopping, Seonghwa."  
  
  


Seonghwa feels as if his whole body reddens at San's compliments, his eyes looking down to San's still clothed body and then back up to his gaze, "C-Can I...?" He asks hesitantly.  
  
  


San nods with a smile, relaxing his body so it'll be easier for Seonghwa to undress him.  
  
  


Seonghwa shakily lifts his hands up and begins to remove San's various articles of clothing, letting them fall back onto the bed just as Seonghwa's robes had. Seonghwa's eyes widen as he scans San's naked body, a smile settling on his face as he sees the years of hard work prevalent on his skin. The smile only fades when he gets a glimpse of his badly scarred and scabbed-over back.  
  
  


"San... D-Don't tell me that's what they did to you..."  
  
  


San looks away in shame, knowing that Seonghwa saw the gruesomeness that is his back.  
  
  


"Please tell me they didn't hurt you like this," Seonghwa cries, his hand holding onto San's face to will his gaze back to him.  
  
  


"I can't tell you that, Hwa... I would never lie to you."  
  
  


Seonghwa carefully runs his fingertips over San's back, feeling the raised and uneven skin of where San must've been whipped. He softly massages the wounds, "I'll never let this happen to you ever again, San. I won't allow it... I shouldn't have let you go that morning," he sniffles.  
  
  


"Shh... There's nothing you could've done, my love. It's okay now, I'm here with you," San whispers against his skin, "You're worth everything," he slowly lowers his body back against Seonghwa's, letting their bare skin brush against each other fully.  
  
  


Seonghwa gasps at the sudden warmth from San's weight on him, wrapping his arms around him carefully as their lips meet once again.  
  
  


San trails his fingertips up Seonghwa's body until he gets to his arms, taking them away from his own body to hold them above his head, letting Seonghwa's muscles stretch upwards beneath the worn out body of his own. San softly rubs his member against Seonghwa's, hearing his surprised take-in of breath before he goes back in for more of San's lips.  
  
  


The sweet taste he knows he could never get enough of soon envelopes him in entirety, letting the pure scent of roses take over his senses, his body releasing all strength and will over to San. Seonghwa gives his body to him, just as he would gladly give his life. A thousand times over would Seonghwa let himself fall back, knowing that San will be there to catch him and hold him to tell him everything will be okay.   
  
  


Everything will be okay as long as he has San.  
  
  


Lavender has become something that San will treasure and preserve deep in his memories, as he knows that when there's lavender, there's Seonghwa. The Seonghwa that he holds so close to his heart, who has become his one and only paradise. Seonghwa is San's happiness, his bliss, his _heaven_ , and he wishes to give back to Seonghwa exactly what he gives him.   
  
  


He remembers the day he first saw the boy lying beneath him, looking just as ethereal as he is now. He remembers sitting next to him by the fire as their hands found each other under the noses of watchful eyes. The fire that burned before them that night now burns within them both, Seonghwa being San's kindling, allowing for the once small flames to transform into a blazing inferno. The love San has for Seonghwa is just as such, difficult to control and raging inside of him. San's fire is the reason he will wait, he knows that his love will never stifle when Seonghwa promised him that he will continue to add that kindling to keep San's fire burning brightly.   
  
  


With Seonghwa, San knows that everything will be okay.  
  
  


They lie there together side by side, their bodies damp in the mixture of each other's sweat and ever-intertwining scents that might as well be referred to as a whole new scent entirely. San and Seonghwa are together as one, breathing slowly next to one another as San's still immersed within Seonghwa. The urge to sink his teeth into Seonghwa's neck to finally claim him as his forever has never been so strong.  
  
  


"My love for you transcends bounds of time, Hwa," San whispers sweet nothings into Seonghwa's ears as they cuddle, "The moon goddess fated us to be for a reason, and I know that lifetime after lifetime, I'll always find you again," he strokes his fingers through Seonghwa's long hair.  
  
  


Seonghwa's eyes shine like the stars in the sky as he stares up at San, "Do you think we were together in our past lives?"  
  
  


"Without a doubt, my darling," San hums, placing soothing kisses along Seonghwa's neck, "My mark has been here many of times, I assure you," he giggles, letting his hot breath coat his love's skin.  
  
  


"I love you, San..."  
  
  


"And I love _you_ , Seonghwa."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**End of Chapter Thirty Five**


	38. Chapter Thirty Six

"I hate having to leave you all after becoming such good friends," Hongjoong crosses his arms and sighs, Jongho's arm wrapped tightly around his waist as they all stand together.

"Me too," Wooyoung says sadly, a bit of fear laced in his voice, "I'm... quite afraid to go back if I'm being honest..." He reveals, knowing that the moment he and Yeosang step foot back into Riverside, they're going to be turned away. By now, he's sure that Sunghee told the whole pack, and the pack told the others, so he's even more fearful that they won't even have a place to go.

San shakes his head, "Don't be afraid. Please remember that each one of you are always welcome to come to Eclipse. We're always welcomed to have visitors, or even new pack members," He says, looking towards Wooyoung and Yeosang at his last statement.

Dongwoo steps up, "No matter what happens, I'll still be here for you..." He says, his eyes focused mostly on Yeosang, "I don't know how I would be able to go back to Riverside either," He hums, having thought about the outcomes of staying there again. All he will receive are looks and the pack members will feel bad for him for being 'the alpha that got cheated on' and that's not something he'd like to be remembered for.

He doesn't harbor any cold feelings towards Yeosang, nor Wooyoung, but he knows that because of what happened, life will be harder for him if he were to go back. And to be quite honest, Dongwoo's wolf still longs for Yeosang. Being separated from his presence might not bid well for his wolf because as much as he's ready to move on, a piece of Yeosang will forever be engraved into him and his soul. He knows his wolf won't be so ready to forget.

"I won't allow for them to be cruel to either of you," Dongwoo says proudly, wanting to still be a good alpha for two precious members of his pack, "It's what an alpha would do," He smiles warmly.

Yeosang smiles at Dongwoo's sweet words, "Thank you..." He says softly, feeling genuine gratitude for Dongwoo's good naturedness he's always had.

Wooyoung nods too, "Yes, thank you so much, Dongwoo."

The three of them know there's a foggy air amongst them, but they look through it the best they can, knowing that they must all be there for each other in times like this.

"Well... I suppose it's time for us three to head out, huh?" Dongwoo says, looking back at the friends he's made in the time he's been in Chrysalis, his eyes landing on Kyelin, "I'll see you soon, right?" He flashes her a bright smile.

Kyelin's face reddens as she nods, "Of course, of course! You know that I'll come visit you wherever you are," She says, her voice full of joy even though deep down she's sad to see Dongwoo leave.

They all exchange hugs, except for with Seonghwa of course and turn towards the entrance of Chrysalis before shifting into their wolf forms to begin their long journey back to Riverside.

Kyelin looks down at the ground as they leave, but perks up when Yunho wraps an arm around her shoulders, "You'll see him again, Lin. He said so, didn't he?"

Kyelin nods with a sad smile, "I know, I know..."

"Besides, you're coming back with Min and I, right?" Yunho asks, winking at Mingi who's conversing with Hongjoong and Jongho -- most likely about the newfound marks they seen upon their necks this morning when they all met up. It was bound to happen one day, Yunho and Mingi had been taking bets on how soon. Let's just say... Mingi won, and Yunho will be paying later when they finally get back home.

"You ready, Yun?" Mingi calls back, a smirk settling on his face as he thinks about later and it sends shivers down Yunho's spine, "I was thinking Hongjoong and Jongho could run with the three of us since we'll be passing Nightshade anyway."

Yunho smiles excitedly, "Yes! As long as there's not more fighting," He narrows his eyes playfully at the, now, mates.

Jongho rolls his eyes with fake irritation, "Yeah, we'll see," he looks over to Hongjoong, a sparkle in his eyes as he does so.

Hongjoong shakes his head and sighs, "God, will you behave for one day?"

Jongho pulls on his arm, "You know that's not possible," he takes a step and plants a hard peck onto Hongjoong's lips, which makes all of their eyes widen. They hadn't ever seen such direct affection between the two, and seeing it in front of them actually warms their hearts.

"Well, damn, I guess you really can make love out of anything," Mingi laughs, and they all shoot him a look.

"Let's go, let Seonghwa and San have a moment's peace for once," Yunho hurries the boys along towards the path leading out of Chrysalis before turning his body back to the two fated mates, waving and shouting goodbye to them.

San turns towards Seonghwa after they've all left, leaving just the two of them standing by the entrance since all of the other guests have already left as well.

"My love..." San smiles, but his smile doesn't hide the watering of his eyes as he stands closely to Seonghwa, knowing not to touch him in front of the watching eyes he knows are on them.

Seonghwa's face is already wet with tears, continuously wiping his eyes, "S-San," he sniffles, afraid to speak too much in fear of breaking down into a full on sob right then and there.

"Don't cry, my love," San whispers just loud enough for Seonghwa to hear, his own tears escaping his eyes and streaming down his face, pooling at the bottom of his chin before they drip off, "I may not be able to _show_ you how much I love you right now, but I hope you're able to _feel_ it. You can... Can't you?"

Seonghwa smiles through the tears as he clutches onto the fabric of his robe covering his chest, "I can..." He says, and it's true. The tingling, spellbinding sensation that he still feels covering his entire body still lingers, stirring within him. He hopes that the feeling of San's gentle touch on his skin never dissipates. It would be his dream come true if the after-effects of San's love lasted on him forever, always there to be the thing he could fall back into.

"Good," San doesn't take his eyes away from Seonghwa for a second, making sure that the memories he's embossed into his mind reign true. The beauty, the power, the eternal love that is Park Seonghwa. Seonghwa will forever haunt the recesses of San's brain, and for that, he's thankful because it means he will always be there. Maybe not in spirit, but in mind.

"I love you, San," Seonghwa breathes out, the words singe the hairs on San's skin.

"You are my forever, Seonghwa."

And with that, San left.

~

After what felt like ages of running, Yeosang, Wooyoung, and Dongwoo all arrived at the entrance of Riverside.

Back home.

Yeosang and Wooyoung look to each other when they see a large group of the pack members waiting for them, and they... Do not look particularly happy to see them here. Yeosang tries to look for his mother's face, wanting to see some sort of kindness through all of the anger.

He spots her and her eyes are filled with worries, and he hates that he knows it's for him. The last thing he wanted was to ever cause his caring mother any stress or worry in her life, and he knew that the news of him cheating on Dongwoo to be with Wooyoung must've broken her in some ways.

Yeosang then sees Wooyoung's mother standing next to her, both of them clutching onto each other for support. His eyes continue to drift until they land on the one person he fears for Wooyoung to see -- Sunghee.

" **Get out of here.** "

The alpha's words shook both Yeosang and Wooyoung to their very core, hitting them and their wolf harder than a brick wall. They grasp onto each other's hands as they feel themselves cowering backward, away from the Riverside pack entrance.

" **You two are** ** _disgraces_** **to our pack and you're to never show your faces here** ** _ever_** **again. Leave."**

The intense words of rejection from their pack distresses them badly, especially Wooyoung. He feels helpless under the power of his pack alpha, and his repudiating tone is enough to cause him to break down. He's the least bit lucky enough to have Yeosang there to catch him, and he will be sure to thank him for it when he's back in the right mindset.

Right now, however... Wooyoung feels like he won't be able to even walk away, and Yeosang is afraid for him. Yeosang looks down at Wooyoung and sees him staring off into the sea of pack members in front of them, but Yeosang knows that he's likely staring at one person in particular.

"L-Let me through!" Wooyoung's mother, Soomin, cries out, trying to get through the crowd, but she's denied.

Wooyoung hears his mother's voice and he tears his eyes away from his past, wanting to see her so badly after being away for so long since he's been with Sunghee and then at Chrysalis. It's been a year since he's seen his mother, and he's even being denied that small nicety of spending time with her again. His body starts to feel as if it's going numb and he's unsure of everything, wanting to move his body, but he can't.

The voices of the pack members talking amongst themselves about Yeosang and Wooyoung drown out any of Wooyoung's thoughts about his mother, the taunting words overflowing within him and he doesn't even notice his own sobbing until he feels Yeosang's thumbs wiping his cheeks.

"If you're making them leave, then I'm leaving too," Dongwoo says angrily.

"You're allowed to stay here, Dongwoo... We all are so sorry about what those poor excuses for omegas did to you. We can't imagine how you or your wolf must be feeling after what we saw Sunghee going through when he got back here," the head alpha states.

Dongwoo turns his back towards the head alpha forcefully, "I am _not_ staying and leaving two of our omegas to fend for themselves," he says, still unable to believe Riverside would discard two of their members no matter how unacceptable what they had done was.

Wooyoung can't make out a lot of what's happening around him until he feels both Yeosang and Dongwoo taking his arms to help him back away from the entrance to Riverside. He looks up at the two of them, trying to focus on Yeosang's face when he sees his outline and he hears the soft murmurs of his voice.

"We're going to get somewhere safe, okay, Woo?" Yeosang says, carefully brushing back a piece of his hair.

He doesn't know much else when everything goes black for him, missing the faint conversations between Yeosang and Dongwoo.

The next thing he sees is the ceiling of an unfamiliar space, a comfortable mattress below him to absorb any of the physical and mental pain that's plagued him as soon as he woke up. The pain soon subsides as he sees Yeosang's long hair splayed onto the pillow next to him. He reaches his hand out to grab onto Yeosang's arm, willing him to lay on his back.

"Sangie..."

Yeosang's eyes flutter open, seeing an awoken Wooyoung across from him and it causes him to smile, "I've been waiting for you, Woo. We made it just a few hours ago."

"Made it where...?" Wooyoung questions, looking around the room to see walls made of old wood that match the floors. He knows just by first glance that the floors would creak under his feet.

"We're in Eclipse," Yeosang says, "You know, where San is from! He said that we were always welcome here, so Dongwoo and I thought it was the perfect place for us. Everyone's been friendly so far, and San was so happy to see us."

Wooyoung smiles, "Really? But we just left him," he giggles.

"He said he doesn't have a lot of people his age here in Eclipse, so he was hoping a few of us would either come live here or visit soon," Yeosang explains, turning on his side to hold onto Wooyoung's waist.

"Where's Dongwoo?"

Yeosang nuzzles his nose into Wooyoung's neck, "He's down talking with San still, I believe," he yawns.

Wooyoung rests back into Yeosang's arms, "Can we go back to sleep, Sangie?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Yeosang giggles and closes his eyes, keeping his face in Wooyoung's neck, his aromatic jasmine scent calming him to sleep.

~

"Jongho, Hongjoong, you're finally back!" Jongho's mother, Youngmi, greets cheerfully, wrapping the two boys into a big hug. She and Hongjoong's mother, Sujin, have been hanging around each other more ever since Jongho left. Her son was the only one to keep her company, and when he was gone, it got quite lonely.

Sujin and Youngmi used to hang out when their sons were young and their husbands would also get along well, but when Jongho's father passed and Hongjoong and Jongho stopped being friendly, their relationship dwindled to nothing. Thankfully, they were able to rekindle that friendship, especially after the recent rumors surrounding their sons.

And...

Those rumors look to be true as Youngmi pulls away from the boys, seeing the matching mating marks on both Hongjoong and Jongho's necks. Youngmi doesn't expect her eyes to water, but they do.

"Mom..." Jongho says, holding onto either side of her shoulders, "Don't cry, mom..."

Youngmi shakes her head and wipes her tears, "No, no, sweetie, they're happy tears. I'm just so proud of you. I'm so happy you found love, my little Jongie."

Jongho blushes and rubs the back of his neck, feeling a bit embarrassed in front of Hongjoong, but Hongjoong just coos at his mate and his mother's endearing relationship.

"It took a lot of fighting," Hongjoong chuckles, wrapping his arm around Jongho, "But we worked through it, didn't we?"

Jongho narrows his eyes playfully and shakes his head, "Mhm, sure."

"Oh, boys..." Youngmi smiles.

Nam Daesung, Nightshade's head alpha, walks up to Hongjoong and Jongho with a proud look on his face at the sight of them getting along, and at their newly marked necks, "I see you two finally are getting along, eh? Hm... I suppose that means I no longer need to choose between the two of you for head alpha, isn't that right? You two would make lovely leaders as alpha and luna of Nightshade when I decide to step down."

Hongjoong and Jongho's eyes both light up at their head alpha's words and they nod quickly. Their hearts feel full as they're surrounded by people proud of them, proud of them for getting over their extremely long-drawn-out grudge they held for all these years after they were such good childhood friends.

Now, they're lovers.

~

Seonghwa finds himself staring out his bedroom window, his eyes boring into the boys' building just across the way. He wishes that San was out there and that he would be able to go out and see him whenever he wanted, but to his dismay, the building is left empty. The only life found in it after the guests left was the young pack member's after-lesson activities.

No San.

Seonghwa sighs, looking down at the plate setting on the table beneath him.

Chocolate cake.

Untouched.

Seonghwa hasn't felt the enjoyment he used to feel when consuming his favorite dessert, not since San left Chrysalis. He hasn't felt much enjoyment in general, if he's honest. Seonghwa shakes his head and stands up from the table, hating moping around like he's doing.

Seonghwa walks across the way, out of his room and to Areum's room. He knocks once before sliding the door open, "Areum, we need to work on our plan."

He looks up to see Areum in her bed and Eunji sitting on top of it beside her, their heads too close to have just been normally conversating. They both look up at Seonghwa with wide eyes and reddened cheeks.

"O-Oh," Seonghwa turns his head to the side, suddenly finding a small pot beside the door very interesting as he continues speaking, "It's a good thing you're here, Eunji... I, no, _we_ need your help, and I think you're going to want to go along with it if what I'm seeing is true."

Areum tries to make the situation a bit lighter with laughter, but it comes out awkwardly, making Eunji look at her with a confused expression, "Help with what?"

Seonghwa sighs, knowing Areum hasn't talked to her like she's been saying she was going to.

"We're going to leave Chrysalis."

**End of Chapter Thirty Six**


	39. Chapter Thirty Seven

  
  
  
_Five Months Later_   
  
  


Hongjoong and Jongho have been planning their visit to Eclipse with Yunho, Mingi, and Kyelin to see San for a while now, but what they didn't expect was to see their other three friends they hadn't gotten ahold of already there.  
  
  


"Dongwoo?" Kyelin's the first one to speak as her eyes widened instantly when she saw him, having been missing him since their departure a few months ago.  
  
  


Dongwoo chuckles and rubs the back of his head, "Hey, Lin."  
  
  


"What are you three doing here?" Yunho asks, looking between Yeosang, Wooyoung, and Dongwoo.  
  
  


"Ah... Well..." Yeosang starts, looking uneasy at the memories of when they were banished from Riverside and what happened to Wooyoung. It scared him seeing Wooyoung black out like he had done, but he and Dongwoo took care of him. Yeosang was thankful to still have Dongwoo as a friend, no matter how awkward and touchy the tension between the three of them would get.   
  
  


Yeosang and Dongwoo _were_ mated, so of course it's inevitable to have some discomfort when Yeosang is with Wooyoung now... The boy he had betrayed Dongwoo for. Yeosang hated thinking about it like that, but he knew there was no way to sugarcoat it. He and Dongwoo would talk often, with Wooyoung's knowledge, so they were able to get through things easier than most in their situation.   
  
  


Yeosang cried when Dongwoo forgave him. He didn't think he deserved that forgiveness, but Dongwoo's heart was too big not to. He wanted to have Yeosang in his life no matter what, just as he said when they split up.  
  
  


Wooyoung steps up to help Yeosang get the words out, holding his hand tightly for support, "Yeosang and I were shunned and kicked out of Riverside... Dongwoo came along to protect us, but we all ended up staying here in Eclipse with San," Wooyoung explains, smiling towards San, who he noticed had a hidden hurt look in his eyes when he smiled back.  
  
  


"Like I said, everyone is welcome here," San says, the smile never leaving his lips, but everyone could tell it didn't quite reach his eyes. The bright look of San's eyes squinting down and his dimples' prominence wasn't there.   
  
  


They all knew why.  
  
  


As they looked around at each other, there was a clear piece of their puzzle missing.  
  
  


The biggest piece, in San's eyes -- in his heart.  
  
  


Seonghwa...  
  
  


While San is hurt that everyone is there aside from his love, he really is happy to see everyone again. His hopes of Seonghwa coming back to him haven't left, not a single second of everyday does San go without thinking about him.   
  
  


He will be home soon, San thinks to himself.  
  
  


Jongho's face grows in anger as Wooyoung tells them what happened, "How _dare_ they kick you out? What kind of pack even is Riverside if they were to banish two, nay, three, of their members?" His voice raises and Hongjoong lets it go until finish before he slips his hand into Jongho's, noticing the immediate ease of his mate.  
  
  


Jongho looks over to Hongjoong and sees his mate with a subtle smile on his face, knowing his cue to calm down, but... Really? They kicked them out? Some fucking pack they are...   
  
  


Dongwoo doesn't correct Jongho that he wasn't banished like Yeosang and Wooyoung, but he doesn't say anything. That's just how Jongho is.  
  
  


Yeosang leans his head onto Wooyoung's shoulder, "We're better off here, really... I just miss my parents, but we've been able to meet up on the outskirts of the pack grounds before."  
  
  


Hongjoong smiles, "I'm glad to hear that, Yeo. How's life been here with ole Sannie boy?" He teases, bringing San in for a hug, "How've you been holding up?"  
  
  


San sighs into the hug, "I've been better, but so much has been going on in Eclipse that it's hard to not stay busy. I like it though, it keeps my mind busy. We've been reconstructing a lot of the lost structures and buildings that were once here with the help of some new pack members we got while I was gone."  
  
  


Mingi pipes up with his deep joyous voice, "It really looks beautiful here, San. I can't believe I've never visited before."  
  
  


San smiles as he looks behind him at his pack grounds and he nods proudly, "Not many people have, nor are they willing to travel this far out, but it's come a long way. I remember it being just desolate ground when I was a young boy."  
  
  


The group all go off further into Eclipse, getting shown around mindlessly by San, but he introduces them to all of the elders and children. They're shocked to see that San was telling the truth when he would talk about his home pack. There really aren't many people their age at all.  
  
  


San thinks about that fact often. In a place where he grew up with no one his age, he still managed to find friends and also love... Being surrounded by people older than him raised him to be more mature and patient than most people his age, and it showed as he was walking them all around Eclipse.  
  
  


San made sure to observe his friends as they toured, wanting to pick up anything that he's missed while they've been gone. After all this time, Dongwoo and Kyelin may not have seen each other, but they reconnected instantly. San loved to see a genuinely happy smile on Dongwoo's face. Not that Dongwoo has been necessarily sad, but San knew. They all did.  
  
  


A love like that doesn't go away so easily, after all.  
  
  


They've been living here in Eclipse for him for months now, but seeing their mating marks on each other never ceases to make a smile come to San's face. He remembers the day he first saw the marks, and before he even saw them, he could feel the jubilance radiating off of the pair. They might have been in love before, but seeing them together without worries was a sight to see.  
  
  


Even seeing them together today was refreshing, watching how different Yeosang and Wooyoung's relationship differed from Hongjoong and Jongho's or Yunho and Mingi's. They seemed more careful, if that makes sense. That's how San always viewed them, and he can only blame how much they had to hide their love and their past situations.  
  
  


Yeosang was always so gentle and caring towards Wooyoung, looking after him as if he wasn't just his lover, but more than that. It showed most when they were with the pack children. They absolutely adored the couple, and not long after they arrived, they offered to watch them. Now, they're even teaching them with the elders of the pack.  
  
  


Hongjoong and Jongho's relationship seemed more blossomed than when they first mated, and San couldn't help but notice how Hongjoong was always there to calm Jongho down. San found it incredible that he was able to put Jongho at ease with just a simple touch.   
  
  


Small hints of their old selves come out in their still very surface-level bickering, but the quickness that they make up is... Surprising to say the least, and San can't bear to look at the disgustingly affectionate way they would make up.   
  
  


San may enjoy seeing the easiness of Yunho and Mingi's love, the hard-fought love of Yeosang and Wooyoung, the blossoming relationship between Kyelin and Dongwoo, or even the dysfunctionally functional love that is Hongjoong and Jongho, but... Seeing all of his friends' happiness and lives going up into an even more love-filled dreamland hurts.  
  
  


San hates to think about how much it really hurts to see everyone here and he hates that he feels like this. The selfish part of himself and his wolf wants for himself to be happy right along with them. His heart aches as he looks down at his empty hands and touches his unmarked neck, longing deeply for his missing love. Surrounded by love, he craves Seonghwa even more, wishing he were here with him to see the gathering of their friends once again.  
  
  


"San, aren't you going to come with us?"  
  
  


San looks up to see his friends walking towards the sauna room and he smiles at Wooyoung, who asked the question and took him out of his thoughts. San nods and starts walking with him, he has to try and get his mind off of Seonghwa for just a little while. The sauna will be perfect... Except that it brings back the memories he has of Seonghwa's first night here in the sauna with him.  
  
  


Everything reminds him of his love.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Seonghwa wakes up early in the morning of his mating day to the sound of his door sliding open. His heart jumps at the prospect of it being San, even though he knows it's impossible. Every time he's heard his door open since San's left has made his heart beat faster, remembering all the times he had snuck into his room or come and seen him.  
  
  


"Get up, Seonghwa," Eunji whispers, her cheeks lathered in rouge and her hair curled.  
  
  


Seonghwa sits up quickly, disregarding Eunji's appearance, knowing she must've snuck away from her mother's hands this morning. He knows that was one of the things she was most worried about with their whole plan. Getting out of the mits of her mother.  
  
  


It looks like it went well.  
  
  


"Was Areum in her room?" Seonghwa asks back, tightening the string of his robe around his waist before putting on his backpack and securing it.   
  
  


Areum was supposed to be up before all of them to scope out the grounds and their plan was to leave before the sun came up. Looking out his window to see the light coming up from over the mountains makes him sigh in fear, his breath shaky.  
  
  


Eunji shakes her head, "No, she should be ready... Don't worry, Seonghwa. It will all work out," she says confidently, waving for Seonghwa to follow her out of his room quietly.   
  
  


Seonghwa doesn't answer back, letting his mind drift off into his most common and comforting thoughts.  
  
  


Thoughts of San.  
  
  


The day he's been looking forward to most has finally come, and for some reason the fear of actually leaving Chrysalis behind is setting in on him as he and Eunji are hurrying to the spot they agreed to meet up.  
  
  


Seonghwa looks down at his hands and sees as a water droplet falls onto his palm. He tilts his head up to the sky that has rays of light beaming through the darkness that still plagues it, the stars still managing to shine through, and sees that it's not rain.   
  
  


He's crying.  
  
  


The last thing he expected to do when leaving Chrysalis was cry, but here he is, turning his head back to look at the soulless grounds he grew up on. It's always looked so peaceful when no one is out and about, but now, it looks depressing.   
  
  


Seonghwa bites his lip and keeps his head facing front when he realizes he had fallen behind a bit. He tells himself over and over that he's going to see San, and that's the only thing that keeps his legs moving forward. His wolf has been promised San's presence for so long, and he can't take much longer without him.  
  
  


Seonghwa squints and puts his hand above his eyes as he sees his sister standing at the back exit of Chrysalis, between two trees, the sun's bright light coating all three of them and they know that they have to leave _now_.  
  
  


Everyone in the pack was to wake up at dawn to prepare for the mating of Seonghwa and Eunji. The three of them just had to hope and pray to the goddesses that everyone would be so focused on their tasks for setting up the ceremony and getting well-rested for the day ahead, that no one would see or hear them going through the grounds.  
  
  


By the time the first door slides open in Chrysalis, Seonghwa, Areum, and Eunji have already left.  
  
  


Seonghwa tries his best not to look back at his home after they fully leave the grounds and disconnect from their pack's mindlink, but he feels the tugging in his chest to go back. It's all he's ever really known, and now that he's going to be out in the world alone, it frightens him. His wolf reassures him that he will go to San soon, and that's all the encouragement he needs to keep going.  
  
  


The tugging to return to Chrysalis is combated by the tugging to run to Eclipse, run to San.  
  
  


"I'm coming, San..." Seonghwa whispers to himself as the three of them shift and begin to run.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**End of Chapter Thirty Seven**   
  
  
  


**————————**

**Next week will be the last chapter plus the finale <3 let's get excited!! :) Thank you so much for reading, angels**


	40. Chapter Thirty Eight

_"Are you sure that we will be okay alone?"_ Eunji asks Areum and Seonghwa through their newly-formed three-person mindlink so no one else can invade their conversations or thoughts.

_"Dohyon is the eldest, he will be fine to carry on the Park name in Chrysalis. Seonghwa and I aren't as much of a priority to stay due to familial duties like Dohyon would be,"_ Areum answers simply, having thought about this a lot ever since she and Seonghwa discussed leaving.

_"Won't they come looking for us...?"_ Both Areum and Seonghwa can hear the worry in Eunji's voice, and Seonghwa stays quiet.

That's the one thing that neither of them considered too heavily when they planned their escape. Seonghwa's imagination was clouded by the dreamlike thoughts of him immediately going to Eclipse to see and be with San, but now that Eunji has brought up the question he's been trying so hard to not think of, he has to look at the big picture.

His and Areum's parents will surely send people to find the three of them, and of course the Han's will demand their daughter return as well.

The three of them stay quiet for a long time as they each think of the possible outcomes and Seonghwa's chest tightens as his mind goes wild. He knows that the first place they will look will be Eclipse, and Areum and Eunji are probably thinking the same thing right now.

Seonghwa knows that's why they're not saying anything.

They're going to tell him that they're not able to go to Eclipse.

" _Seonghwa..._ "

Seonghwa's mind checks out after he hears his sister echo his name, still running at the same pace as Areum and Eunji, but it's only the muscle memory of running keeping him going. He doesn't want to accept that he's going to have to wait even longer to see San, and he clenches his teeth, whispering apologies to San through his head.

_"I'm sorry it's going to take longer than I wanted to, San... I promise you that I'm still coming. I'm coming back to you, San, I promise..."_ Seonghwa repeats in his head, wishing that his pleads would somehow reach San.

For the next few months, the three of them travel around, making sure not to step foot in any of the various pack grounds. The last thing they need is to get caught when word is being spread about the missing Chrysalis children through all the surrounding packs.

Seonghwa can only hope that San heard about the news, and he knows that he's finally on his way to him.

~

San is abruptly woken up that morning by Yeosang and Wooyoung shaking his shoulders, "San, wake up!"

San sits up and rubs his eyes, looking around to see his other friends by the doorway. He thought they all agreed to sleep in for a while before they went on their hike, so why is everyone here in his room?

"What is going on...?" San mumbles, turning his body to slip out of the bed and put on a light jacket over his pajamas. He's so glad it was chilly last night and he decided to actually wear full pajamas since his friends thought they'd all barge into his room at an ungodly hour.

He didn't expect the words he heard next to leave Yeosang's mouth.

"Alphas from Chrysalis are here, San."

San's eyes widen almost immediately at the mention of Chrysalis, but he doesn't even allow hope to cross his face. He knows it's not Seonghwa, so why are alphas from Chrysalis here...?

San's lips purse into a thin line and he pushes through his friends at the doorway of his room and leaves his home to see a group of three alphas standing at the entrance of Eclipse.

"What brings you here?" San asks, his voice turning formal as he bows and greets the alphas.

The biggest of the three steps forward after bowing in respect, "We've come to see if you know the locations of Park Seonghwa, Park Areum, and Han Eunji."

"And what is the reason for these inquiries?" San asks, trying to hold his composure after the name of his love is spoken into the air.

The alpha crosses his arms and sighs, "The three of them disappeared yesterday morning on the dawn of Park Seonghwa and Han Eunji's mating ceremony. Park Gyungho and Hyejin sent us here first to see if they ended up here."

San nods slowly, taking in everything he's saying. A smile tries to come to his face, but he holds it back, not wanting to show how happy he is that they actually did manage to leave. San knows that means Seonghwa must be on his way to him.

One thing he wonders is why Seonghwa and the girls haven't arrived at Eclipse yet, though. Since these three alphas sent here to look for them arrived, and they're nowhere to be seen. San wants to believe they were just waiting back before coming for fear of exactly what's happening would happen, but the intrusive thoughts wiggle their way to the front of his mind. They tell San that Seonghwa could be hurt, but San instantly shuts down his own thoughts.

There's no way Seonghwa could be hurt because San would know instantly. His entire body would crumble if that were the case.

His internal smile comes back and he focuses back onto the Chrysalis alpha standing in front of him, "I'm sorry, Sir, but no one of those names have stepped foot in Eclipse since the time you said they went missing."

The alpha sighs angrily and turns his head back to the other two alphas that accompanied him, "Come on, we're wasting our time here," he huffs and starts walking away from the entrance of Eclipse.

"Why did Gyungho and Hyejin want us to check here first anyway?"

"Has anyone ever even heard of Eclipse?"

"Not since the last war, everyone thought it was burned down."

"Hush up, and let's get going. Coming here was a joke, it doesn't even look like much of anyone inhabitants it anyhow. Gyungho and Hyejin were wrong."

San smiles openly when he sees the three Chrysalis alphas walking away, faintly hearing their conversation before they shift into their wolves and set off into a sprint in the other direction.

San sees his friends gathered by the outside of his home as he walks back to them, all of them being confused by the smile of pure happiness on San's face.

"What did they want?" Hongjoong asks.

"They looked so pissed when they left," Jongho chuckles under his breath, "What did you say?"

San runs his fingers through his hair and leans against one of the pillars holding up his house, "They were looking for Seonghwa, Areum, and Eunji."

Kyelin tilts her head, "Looking for them?"

San nods, "They're missing."

"And... You're happy about that?" Dongwoo asks in a confused voice.

San nods once again, his eyes filled with hearts as he thinks of his love, "That means Seonghwa is coming... He will be here soon," San's face warms up from the saddened one they all grew used to and he slides his back down the pillar, looking up at the sky, "He's really coming."

All of them look at each other and then back at the lovestruck San, "When do you think they will arrive? Should we stay for a few more days just in case they show up?" Mingi asks.

San ponders that idea for a bit, "I'm not sure when they will arrive, but goddess, I really hope it's soon..."

When San said soon, he didn't expect to have to wait another long year.

**End of Chapter Thirty Eight**

**\--------------------------------------**

**Don't worry, the finale chapter is going to be updated right after this one because I didn't feel right making you wait another week after only a 1.3k chapter. I expected it to be longer, but y'all... Horizon is ending and I have no idea how to feel. All I can say is thank you so much, and to everyone that's been here since the beginning, and EVEN BIGGER thank you!**

**~ nyamgi**


	41. Chapter Thirty Nine - FINALE

_One Year Later_

San wakes up this morning with a strange warm and fuzzy feeling enveloping his chest and body as a whole. As soon as he opened his eyes, his arms tingled all the way down to his fingertips and he lifted his arms to examine his hands. They felt as if they were asleep, that kind of feeling, and San only remembers a few times his body has had this type of sensation.

All of those times being in the presence of Seonghwa.

His long lost love that he's been waiting to return to him for what feels like centuries, but it's really only been a year. Any time without Seonghwa was too long in San's eyes.

His body as well as his wolf really began feeling the void of Seonghwa about a month or two after they last saw each other. His wolf could tell San was moving even the slightest bit slower than typical, and his health was on a slow but steady decline.

San's only solace was the daily thoughts and remembrances of Seonghwa and his voice telling him that he would come back to him. He would be there soon. The worst part about the definition of 'soon' was that it was subjective. One person's _soon_ could be another person's _eternity_ , and goddess, that's what it was starting to feel like to San.

He never lost his hope, though.

San never once doubted Seonghwa's word.

As much as San didn't want to get his hopes up too high, he did sense wolves coming into Eclipse pack grounds. His senses were going haywire at the new wolves, and as San stood up, the tingling and fire slowly igniting within his body only became stronger.

San took a long and deep breath before he opened the door of his house and made his way to the entrance of Eclipse. His hopes were only getting higher and higher as he thought of the possibilities.

It could be Seonghwa.

His body's reaction and his wolf going crazy could only mean that it _is_ Seonghwa, right?

San starts to run, needing to see if what he hopes is true really is. His wolf is pushing him to go faster, and it's only a second before three figures come into San's view.

There's no mistaking those pure white robes.

San feels his body freeze up as he finally takes in Seonghwa in his entirety, admiring the new length of his hair since he hasn't been able to have it trimmed. He studies the still soft look of his skin, knowing it must feel the same as when his fingers last graced it.

"S-San?"

San doesn't realize the tears streaming down his face just as they did the day they said goodbye, feeling Seonghwa's perfect hands gently wiping the wet streaks on his face similarly to how he did to Seonghwa on that same day.

"You came," San's voice comes out quietly, suddenly feeling this overwhelming vulnerability as Seonghwa's skin on his seems to set all of his emotions ablaze.

"I promised you, didn't I?" Seonghwa whispers, letting his hands trail down San's neck and down his arms until their fingers intertwine, "I only apologize for how long it took..." Seonghwa breathes out, and the hair on San's body instantly stands up as the hot air brushes over him.

San takes Seonghwa into his embrace and his body falls back into the warmth that he's missed more than anything, every piece of one another fitting perfectly with the other. Of course, if their souls were made for each other, then their bodies would also be. Their hearts were made to be connected, and now they finally can knit together and become one for the rest of their lives.

San presses his forehead against Seonghwa's, letting Seonghwa know how much he loves and cares for him through this subtle nonverbal movement, "Don't apologize, my love... When I told you I would wait an eternity for you, I meant it. For you, I would do anything."

Seonghwa's eyes water heavily, his emotions are all over the place since he can't believe he's actually back in San's arms.

"I love you, San..."

"And I love _you,_ Seonghwa," San smiles in adoration as he stares into Seonghwa's beautiful brown eyes. How he's missed his own personal galaxy full of stars he always found in Seonghwa's eyes. Now, it never has to leave.

Seonghwa smiles happily, to which San responds with just as big of one, letting his dimples shine.

San carefully leans in and kisses Seonghwa, their lips slotting together just as flawlessly as he remembers. He feels Seonghwa melt into the kiss at first, but he nervously flinches back, his eyes looking around and he feels like he's back in Chrysalis where he wouldn't dare chance San's life like this.

San notices Seonghwa's scared wandering eyes and he realizes why he pulled away from their kiss quicker than normal, "It's okay, Hwa," he whispers, bringing his hand up to cup his cheek, his thumb gently massaging the soft skin there, "No one here will judge us... You don't have to be afraid anymore," he says, willing Seonghwa to look back up into his eyes.

Seonghwa meets San's eyes as he speaks, and after he hears him, he notices that no one is looking at the two of them in shame. No, far from it. If anything, some of the Eclipse pack members are cooing and smiling at him and San.

Seonghwa realizes that he's not in Chrysalis anymore.

There's no reason to harbor so much fear in expressing his love openly.

"I understand if it will take you a little while to become comfortable, I just wanted you to know that it's okay," San says lightly, keeping his voice calm, but he's surprised when his lips are soon captured once again.

Seonghwa wraps his arms around San's neck and kisses him deeply, putting all of his feelings and emotions into it so San knows just how much he means to him, and that he's not afraid to love him in public.

San's eyes quickly ease closed and his hand moves up into Seonghwa's hair, letting the soft locks run through his fingers as their lips move against each other tenderly. Small gasps for air allowed them to catch their breaths and let their eyes open just enough to see one another for a brief second before San gives Seonghwa one more peck.

Kissing Seonghwa feels like heaven for San, his kisses always feeling so urgent and needy to him. Seonghwa kisses him as if it'll be the last time every time, and it's something San doesn't think he could ever get used to completely, not that he would ever want to.

Finally having Seonghwa in his arms to have and to hold for the rest of their days, he knows it's a feeling that he will cherish for as long as he's able. When San holds Seonghwa, it's as if he opens up all the other lifetimes they've lived together and all of his past selves' emotions and it's a feeling of pure bliss. There will never be a moment where San doesn't cherish Seonghwa.

San vows to treasure Seonghwa until their very last moments of this lifetime.

"We may not have been able to say goodbye like we wanted to, but at least we got to say hello again like we wanted to," San smiles into another soft peck on Seonghwa's lips.

Seonghwa giggles that beautiful laugh that makes San melt, "To many more hellos," he kisses San again before he just eases into his comfortable embrace, letting his head nuzzle into San's neck.

San rubs up and down Seonghwa' back, "Our marks will be there soon," he teases, kissing Seonghwa's neck, "Mine will be right here. What do you think, my love?"

Seonghwa looks up at San with a visible blush on his cheeks and shyness in his eyes before their enclosed world together where it's only them gets interrupted by a cough.

"I don't mean to disrupt you two reuniting, but we're here too," Eunji says, and Areum gently pushes her shoulder.

"Eun, let them be. We can find or way around ourselves."

San and Seonghwa both turn to look at Areum and Eunji, their faces full of embarrassment, but it disappears quickly as they both squeeze each other's hands.

"Ah, yes!" San exclaims, "I'll show you two to your room," San starts walking, Seonghwa tucked into his side as they walk towards the small houses, "You don't mind sharing, right?"

Areum and Eunji exchange glances and shyly shake their heads, "We don't mind..."

Seonghwa giggles once again and looks up at San, taking in all of the details of his face that he can while he shows his sister and Eunji the home they can stay in while they live here in Eclipse.

Word gets around to the pack about three new members, and Yeosang, Wooyoung, and Dongwoo all go to find San. They want to know if the three new members are who they think they could be.

A loud gasp is heard from behind San and Seonghwa.

They turn around to see a wide eyed couple and Dongwoo's smiling face.

"Seonghwa! You're really here!" Wooyoung says maybe a bit too loudly and runs up to them, wanting to hug him, but he knows better after remembering Chrysalis' rules.

Seonghwa smiles warmly at the cheerfulness of his friend, finding it endearing how happy he is to see him after so long, "I promised my love that I'd return home," Seonghwa leans his head against San's chest, "So of course, I'm here."

"I just can't believe it! San has been waiting for you for so long!" Wooyoung's voice doesn't calm down until Yeosang takes hold of his hand and squeezes it.

"It's really good to see you again, Seonghwa," Dongwoo says, doing a small bow towards him, "You're staying for good, right?"

Seonghwa nods, "For the rest of my life."

San's heart pounds in his chest when he hears Seonghwa talk so openly, feeling proud of him. Since he met him, he's really come out of his shell so to speak, and San couldn't be happier for him. He knows how hard it can be to release yourself from the constraints that were put on at a young age, and seeing Seonghwa break out of them has been an eye-opening experience for him.

That evening, Seonghwa and San are back in San's house -- now Seonghwa's house, too -- cuddling on their bed.

Seonghwa looks up at San, his eyes softening when he sees how sleepy his San is. He remembers how much he denied him and himself when they first met, telling him that fated mates weren't real.

How stupid and naive he was back then...

Seonghwa has never been more sure about anything in his life as he is about his love for San. His feelings have never felt more real.

"What are you thinking about, my love?" San asks sleepily, his voice just above a whisper as he kisses the top of Seonghwa's head.

"I'm thinking about how thankful I am to have you, and how much I love you. You are my home, San."

San smiles, bringing Seonghwa into his body, "I'm the luckiest man alive to have you in my arms, Seonghwa."

"I'll be yours forever," Seonghwa whispers, taking in the silence of their bedroom, the only sound being the simultaneous beating of their hearts for each other.

"Forever and always."

**End of Chapter Thirty Nine - FINALE**

**Author's Note:**

> If you like my stories and want to follow me on Twitter I'm @pinearah :D


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